c/o Katina Strauch Post Office Box 799 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
ALA AnNUAL issue TM
volume 29, number 3 JUNE 2017
ISSN: 1043-2094 “Linking Publishers, Vendors and Librarians” Things That Keep Us Awake at Night by Alicia Wise (Director of Access and Policy, Elsevier, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GB; Phone: +44 (0) 7823 536 826)
Katina Strauch and Tom Gilson paid me and the epic shift is not happening in the same awake now too. Problems shared a huge compliment earlier this year with their environment of collaboration between libraries are problems halved they say, and invitation to guest edit this issue of ATG around and publishers. Indeed, a theme I often reflect I certainly hope this proves to be true in time. the theme of things keeping me awake at night. on with real sadness is the rather parlous state So what are some drivers of our shared angst: This theme was specially chosen in honor of of this fundamental, and potentially hugely 1. Information authenticity in an age of a terrific article on the same theme that the powerful, strategic relationship. Now it too both misinformation and overload supremely talented Karen Hunter did 20 years often feels the relationship is defined, at least 2. Metrics to demonstrate our impact ago. Welcome fellow insomniacs! by some, as a competitive one rather than as a 3. Making “open” a reality The context in which that article was written symbiotic one. Neither community has made a was in the interim between the end of Project Tu- radical transformation to the benefit of our shared 4. Rights — by which I mean in this con- lip and the eventual launch of the ScienceDirect users without the other. Anyway, while this is text copyright, copyright exceptions, digital publishing platform which flowed in part honestly something that does keep me awake at and the rights of different scholarly from it. Karen was at the nexus of a huge trans- night, I have discovered that my sleeplessness communication stakeholders formation in scholarly communications, though by itself does not lead to change on this front. 5. Data access and preservation no one could be certain of that at the time. What It is a profound commitment to working 6. Big data and privacy was clear, however, were some of the challenges symbiotically with librarians that shaped the way So to each topic in turn… that needed to be tackled. this issue of ATG evolved. My first action was Fake news and fake research are both erod- Fast forward 20 years, and there are epic to list my angst on paper, and to share it with ing the trust that has traditionally been placed shifts underway again. I enjoy an interesting the extremely thoughtful members of our North in published material. As is the case with news, perspective within Elsevier which is well on its American Library Advisory Board (thank you — fake research in its purest form is fabricated way through a transformation from publisher to you know who you are!), and then Katina and continued on page 8 information analytics company that improves Tom kindly offered to extend this consultation to research performance. What that exactly means members of the Charleston Advisory Board for continues to develop and become more clear, and thoughts and additions. I am so glad of having What To Look For In This Issue: we’ll see the eventual impact and outcomes. At done this, as these wise professionals surfaced Books About Books...... 40 least two things are different this time around: two additional themes that were keeping them I am not nearly as awesome as Karen Hunter, awake at night, and have come to keep me Learning from Knowledge Unlatched 2016: Making OA Work...... 46 Remembering Eric Moon...... 50 If Rumors Were Horses How Not to Panic When the Key Employee Needs Extended Time Off....62 ey everyone! It’s summer in Charleston which means high 80s! Not sure how we would Making the Deal Happen...... 64 be able to survive without air conditioning! H Living in the Past...... 72 I hope you read Nancy Herther’s two part article about Amazon and Jeff Bezos. What a News and Announcements for the piece of great research and journalism. I am just sorry that I didn’t buy Amazon stock when it was cheap. At last look it was nearly $1000 for one share. 37th Charleston Library Conference....74 Ouch! Anyway, more power to Amazon and Jeff Bezos. Interviews SSP (Society for Scholarly Publishing is entering its Kent Anderson...... 30 fortieth year and is celebrating the occasion by launching Profiles Encouraged a new logo. “As scholarly publishing has evolved over the years, we felt now was the right time to refresh our logo to New profiles for five people, two better reflect who we are today and to symbolize the dynamic libraries and one company...... 83 nature of our future. SSP’s strength is within our membership Plus more...... See inside and our new brand pays homage to our past while providing a new and exciting look for the Society going forwards,” said Mabel Porter Jacks, the fifth the wonderful Melanie Dolechek, SSP Executive Director. grandchild of Bruce and Katina https://www.sspnet.org/ Strauch. She is adorable! continued on page 6 1043-2094(201706)29:3;1-D The Must-Have Reference Guide for Analytical, Industrial, and Research Labs is Now Available Online
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Against The Grain Against the Grain (USPS 012-618) (ISSN 1043-2094) TABLE OF CONTENTS is published six times a year in February, April, June, September, November, and December/January by Against v.29 #3 June 2017 © Katina Strauch the Grain, LLC, Post Office Box 799, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482. Subscription price per year is $55 U.S. ($65 Canada, $90 foreign, payable in U.S. dollars). Periodicals ISSUES, NEWS, & GOINGS ON postage paid at Charleston, SC. Postmaster: Send change of address to Against the Grain, LLC, Post Office Box 799, Rumors...... 1 Letters to the Editor...... 6 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482. From Your Editor...... 6 Deadlines...... 6 Editor: Katina Strauch (College of Charleston) FEATURES Associate Editors: Cris Ferguson (Murray State) Things That Keep Us Awake at Night — Guest Editor, Alicia Wise Tom Gilson (College of Charleston) John Riley (Consultant) Things That Keep Us Awake At Night....1 Sleepless Nights Imagining Blueprints Research Editors: by Alicia Wise — Channeling the awesome and Cranes...... 25 Judy Luther (Informed Strategies) Karen Hunter who wrote of this twenty years by Maggie Farrell — It is during the quiet of Assistants to the Editor: ago, Alicia queried Elsevier’s North American the night that worries appear as to if we can Ileana Strauch Advisory Board and the Charleston Confer- Toni Nix (Just Right Group, LLC) build the services that contribute to the educa- ence Directors to determine themes that were tion of our students, how we might construct a Editor At Large: Dennis Brunning (Arizona State University) keeping us all awake at night. scaffold of research services, and how we will build on traditional services. Contributing Editors: The Fake News Phenomenon...... 14 Glenda Alvin (Tennessee State University) An Opportunity for the Library Community Op Ed — IMHBCO...... 28 Rick Anderson (University of Utah) to Make a Splash? by Donald Barclay — The Sever Bordeianu (U. of New Mexico) Another Predatory Journal Sting: Why This Todd Carpenter (NISO) furor over fake news presents an opportunity One Is Different and Matters More by Rick Bryan Carson (Western Kentucky University) for librarians to show leadership and to help Anderson — One of the great advantages of Eleanor Cook (East Carolina University) people become more savvy users of information. the current scholarly-communication ecosystem Anne Doherty (Choice) is the degree to which barriers to entry have Ruth Fischer (SCS / OCLC) The Insufficiency of Facts...... 18 Michelle Flinchbaugh (U. of MD Baltimore County) by T. Scott Plutchak — Facts matter, but been lowered. Joyce Dixon-Fyle (DePauw University) they’re insufficient. They don’t compel belief. Remembering Eric Moon...... 50 Laura Gasaway (Retired, UNC, Chapel Hill) We leap from facts to the conclusions we want Regina Gong (Lansing Community College) Mentor in Memoriam by Robbie Franklin Chuck Hamaker (UNC, Charlotte) to be true. Back Talk...... 86 William M. Hannay (Schiff, Hardin & Waite) New Metrics for a New Strategy...... 20 Mark Herring (Winthrop University) The 19th Fiesole Retreat (Or, Eating My Bob Holley (Retired, Wayne State University) by Roger Schonfeld — As the contributions Way Through Chocolate Shops) by Ann Donna Jacobs (MUSC) of a library shift, so should the metrics for Okerson — Now 20 years old, The Fiesole Lindsay Johnston (IGI Global) evaluating its success. Retreats aim to bring together publishers, Ramune Kubilius (Northwestern University) librarians, booksellers, and other stakeholders Myer Kutz (Myer Kutz Associates, Inc.) Making Open Access / Open Data / Tom Leonhardt Open Science A Reality...... 24 from several continents, in order to review and discuss current topics in scholarship, new Rick Lugg (SCS / OCLC) An International Overview by Gemma Jack Montgomery (Western Kentucky University) technologies, business models, and much more. Bob Nardini (ProQuest) Hersch — Fortunately, in more recent years After it was over, Ann toured (and sampled) Jim O’Donnell (Arizona State University) the ecosystem has moved past the rhetoric and chocolate shops! Ann Okerson (Center for Research Libraries) begun to develop into a real market. Rita Ricketts (Blackwell’s) Jared Seay (College of Charleston) Graphics: ATG INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Bowles & Carver, Old English Cuts & Illustrations. Grafton, More Silhouettes. Ehmcke, Graphic Trade Kent Anderson...... 30 Profiles Encouraged...... 83 Symbols By German Designers. Grafton, Ready-to-Use CEO, RedLink In this issue we have included profiles for five Old-Fashioned Illustrations. The Chap Book Style. people, one company, and two libraries. Are you Production & Ad Sales: reading our new profiles encouraged section? Toni Nix, Just Right Group, LLC., P.O. Box 412, Cottageville, SC 29435, phone: 843-835-8604 fax: 843-835-5892
Debates, Diatribes, Speakers, Poster Sessions, — Keeping you updated on the 37th Annual Name ______Address ______City State Zip ______Company Phone ______Email ______Preconferences, etc. Charleston Conference. Against the Grain / June 2017
Well, it wasn’t that bad but I did get your never-give-up Alicia Wise’s wonderful guest are, Myer reminisces about PSP, Barbara attention, right? editing I was able to sleep at night! Whew! Blummer and Jeffrey Kenton write about Bruce and I have been living out in the The theme came from Karen Hunter who I mobile initiatives, Caryl Ward talks about country since we retired in September 2016. miss all the time! Our papers are by Alicia, extended time off, Glenda Alvin encounters a Did you ever see “Green Acres”? with Eddie Donald Barclay (fake news phenomenon), flood, Bob Kieft reflects on current develop- Albert and one of the Gabor sisters? I feel T. Scott Plutchak (insufficiency of facts), ments in shared print collections, and Michael like I am in that sitcom regularly out here. Roger Schonfeld (new metrics and strategies), Gruenberg is making deals happen. There are many issues that we city folks Gemma Hersch (open access, open data, Donald Beagle has provided part two in have never encountered. Plus we were etc.), Maggie Farrell (blueprints and a three part series on QEP at Belmont Abbey renting from the Citadel and we could cranes). Our OpEd is about predatory College and Antje Mays returns to Biz of Acq always ask them to fix stuff. journals by Rick Anderson, and Ann to discuss impacts and insights of migration. A few weeks ago, in the middle of Okerson’s Back Talk takes us to Fie- Sorry to cut this off but they are calling for the night, we heard this huge boom sole in Lille France and some visits thunderstorms! I can even see the lightning! and “sizzle.” The electricity did not to chocolate shops. Bummer! I have to go shut off my electricity. go off so we thought we were okay. Our interview is with Kent Don’t want more trouble at Green Acres! Ha! In the morning we learned Anderson of RedLink. We have Have a great summer! Yr. Ed. a) the computer router was fried, book reviews and discussions by nothing, b) the computer printer Regina Gong, Tom Gilson, Don- was fried, c) the dishwasher didn’t na Jacobs, Dr. Matthew Olsen, work, d) the refrigerator was on Tom Leonhardt, and a brand new column by John Riley. Bruce the fritz and last but not least, the Rumors golf cart did not work! Bummer! Strauch and Lolly Gasaway keep Shucks! They never had this us up to date with Cases of Note from page 1 problem on Green Acres. and Questions and Answers. Speaking of which, SSP is sponsoring In spite of some bills and time We have a new column from Sven Fund about Knowledge one of the Charleston Conference precon- to fix everything, we persevered ferences in November. We had many sub- and this issue of ATG was fin- Unlatched, Mark Herring wants us to remember who our funders missions for preconferences for Charleston ished! Thanks to the wonderful 2017. Registration for the Main Conference and preconferences will open the 19th of June. Sooner than we think! http://www.charlestonlibraryconference.com/ And be sure and mark your calendars for- Letters to the Editor ward a day for the Main Conference — 2017 Theme: What’s Past is Prologue. Precon- Send letters to
6 Against the Grain / June 2017
2017 Charleston Conference — 37th Annual Issues in Book and Serial Acquisition Call For Papers, Ideas, Conference Themes, Panels, Debates, Diatribes, Speakers, Poster Sessions, Preconferences, etc. ... 2017 Theme — “What’s Past is Prologue” Preconferences — Monday & Tuesday, November 6-7, 2017 Vendor Showcase — Tuesday, November 7, 2017 Main Conference — Wednesday-Friday, November 8-10, 2017 Charleston Gaillard Center, Francis Marion Hotel, Courtyard Marriott Historic District, Embassy Suites Historic Downtown, Charleston, South Carolina
f you are interested in leading a discussion, acting as a moderator, coordinating a lively lunch, or would like to make sure we discuss a particular topic, please let us know. The Charleston Conference prides itself on creativity, innovation, flexibility, and informality. IIf there is something you are interested in doing, please try it out on us. We’ll probably love it... The Conference Directors for the 2017 Charleston Conference include — Beth Bernhardt, Principal Director (UNC-Greensboro)
www.charlestonlibraryconference.com
having read these pieces I’m newly convinced it would be really compelling to have even more Things That Keep Us Awake at Night there are no quick and easy solutions. From insight into the contribution that libraries make from page 1 where I am sitting, better peer review, research to improving research performance. reproducibility, and analytics will be necessary I first aspired to help create an open access for the purposes of profit or propaganda, for ingredients. world in 2001, and sometimes really cannot example a whole range of predatory journals, Metrics have become surprisingly compel- believe that in 2017 it still hasn’t come to pass. including those recently exposed for accepting ling to me, trained and firmly committed as a And why is this? It is certainly not because it articles by “Dr. Fraud” (an entirely made up qualitative social scientist. But oh… the power is impossible. It is not because there are vested academic). of numbers is something I’ve come to really interests that throw up road blocks. It is not The public is waking up to the serious appreciate since joining Elsevier. Everything because of copyright. Or money. Or profits. ramifications that fake news has for political is measured here, occasionally in very pain- Or indeed many of the other things I regularly processes, with the likes of Facebook and Goo- ful detail. But there is something powerful hear cited as “the barrier.” I firmly believe it is gle being asked to be part of the solution. The in numbers and robust metrics for getting at because we are not pragmatic enough, and do not consequences of fake research are arguably just reality and trends, and especially when these spend enough time together figuring out how to as dangerous and immediate for the millions of are counterintuitive or at odds with our own just make it work for all stakeholders. If we did, doctors, scientists, policymakers and more who beliefs and perceptions. Other members of it would be. Instead we use “open” as if it were rely on it to make do-or-die decisions every day. the research community clearly find metrics a battlefield or a grassy field on which all sorts If a doctor makes a treatment plan based on fake compelling too, given the range of articles in of other games are played. Anyway, this keeps research, it could risk the patient’s life. Elsevier Connect categorized under metrics me awake at night. However, as it was my day I’m therefore delighted that in this issue of and analytics and addressing topics from gender job, and this exercise is in halving problems by ATG we have two contributions on this important to research performance (https://www.elsevier. sharing them, I asked my wonderful colleague topic. The first is by Donald Barclay and the com/connect/home?f.Tags|terms=metrics&f. Gemma Hersh for her perspective on making second by Scott Plutchak. I really encourage Tags|terms=data%20%26%20analytics&f. open a reality. She’s come up with a great piece you to read both — they were developed inde- Community|community=elsevier%20connect) . that spans open access, open data, and open pendently but are highly complementary and Roger Schonfeld and colleagues at Ithaka have science and to my delight she also focusses on reflect whether there are pragmatic things that got a great deal of experience in terrific longi- the importance of collaboration to make it all a can be done to tackle these issues, and/or whether tudinal studies to gather metrics on the impact reality. I hope you will enjoy reading what she an intellectual paradigm shift is required. I’m of libraries. Much of this work has focused on has to say as much as I did. not convinced there is a single right answer, but the contribution libraries make to teaching, and continued on page 10 8 Against the Grain / June 2017
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■ Search the MLA International Bibliography for your works, including Modern Language Association those published under variant names 85 Broad St., suite 500 ■ Add them to your ORCID profile with one click New York, NY 10004-2434 646 576-5155 ■ Remove works from your profile at any time fax 646 576-5160 ORCID’s privacy controls allow you to determine who can see works on www.mla.org your profile. E-mail [email protected] for more information. biblink.mla.org developing a better understanding of re- searcher needs and incentives, convening conversations between funders, helping to identify best practices, promoting the DART framework for open (discovery, accessibility, reproducibility and trans- ke a closer look at.... parency), and getting behind efforts like Ta OA2020 and DORA (both of which can be read in a more balanced light). 5. We’re on the right track. OSI isn’t going to be able to tackle this issue by itself — we all acknowledge that this effort’s current The CHARLESTON REPORT lack of staff (i.e., funding) makes it a some- what unlikely candidate to manage a global Business Insights into the Library Market revolution in scholarly communications, but most delegates thought OSI serves an important and useful purpose nonetheless You Need The Charleston Report... — that what has been spinning out of OSI if you are a publisher, vendor, product developer, merchandiser, is having an impact, and that the approach we’re taking is exactly on the right track. consultant or wholesaler who is interested in improving Whether by being a neutral forum for broad and/or expanding your position in the U.S. library market. discussion, a proponent of inclusive ideas, a convener of parties, or even a developer or funder of new products and projects, Subscribe today at our discounted rate of only $75.00 the big tent approach is better understood this year than last (although as a group we’re still not settled yet on exactly how this group should be managed, if at all). The Charleston Company Keith Yamamoto noted one specific way 6180 East Warren Avenue, Denver, CO 80222 in which OSI might be on target: Helping Phone: 303-282-9706 • Fax: 303-282-9743 identify a set of common principles that define what we want at the endpoint. If we can identify these principles as a group, we can then make a broad model that can be adapted or adopted. 6. We’re more alike than unalike. Several 3. Publishing is critical. Vint Cerf mentioned stakeholder groups (in their reports) pushed Things That Keep Us Awake at Night this in his brilliant opening address, and back against the idea of having distinct from page 8 it was echoed by Keith Yamamoto in his groups. We have differences of opinion in equally brilliant closing. For Vint, increas- this community, but there is often as much Last week (i.e., the third week of April) ing the reproducibility of published research diversity of opinion within a single stake- the Open Scholarship Initiative convened its was paramount, and this requires increasing holder group as there is between groups. second annual meeting of key stakeholders, all access, and this in turn requires a much Everyone agreed that we need more committed to making open a reality. Under Glen more serious focus on digital preservation involvement from the global community, Hampson’s deft leadership, the consensus from — from hardware and operating systems to and also from researchers themselves. those discussions has just been conveyed, and is software and formats. Without preservation 7. Convergent needs are everywhere. The summarized by him in this way: and access, there is no modern scientific HSS & Scientists workgroup in particular “1. Open isn’t free. Several groups repeated record. For Keith, the focus was on the act identified a raft of areas where these often this point that the focus of open cannot be of publishing. ‘If you don’t publish your disparate communities can find common about cost-savings. Open is going to cost experiment, it is exactly like not doing it.’ ground — e.g., on the need for visibility, money — the jury is still out on exactly But the current system of publishing is too public engagement, preservation, and in- how much. So, if we all agree that more expensive for universities (barring any major terdisciplinarity. Convening action on this open is important (and that’s really why restructuring of how much money is allocat- common ground is the next step. Some we’re all here), it is this importance that ed to libraries, or how much money comes stakeholder groups (namely scholarly needs to drive our efforts going forward, directly from the government to support societies) felt they were already cohesive not the promise of less spending on publishing), so our focus needs to be on what enough and well-positioned enough that scholcomm. now — figuring out who pays, figuring out they could advance agendas and promote what we publish and where, understanding 2. Open isn’t easy. Aside from the cost culture change —that these convergent the global impact of our solutions, making involved, there is mixed messaging in needs were (or could become) clear and sure we’re resolving researcher concerns, this space (both in terms of what’s being as actionable. Similarly, the scholarly and more. (Both speakers had much more communicated at universities and from infrastructure groups like ORCID and involved messages than this; a summary whom) and a lack of incentives for several DOAJ are ready to work together and with will be provided soon.) key audiences (namely researchers). More OSI to help promote and secure open. trust and understanding is needed (see 4. OSI can help. Several concrete ideas 8. Accountability and recognition. We the trust section, below). More balance were proposed regarding where OSI can need to get institutions invested in this is also important, such as solutions that help push the ball forward on open. These effort (not necessarily financially). We involve local input and incentives (local included creating new resources for the all have a stake in the outcome. What this as in geographic, but also institution and open community (such as APC finders or means in practice is to be determined. As discipline-specific), and approaches to open resources links), designing new open far as recognition is concerned, several open that are more inclusive (wherein we outreach materials tailored to specific au- groups expressed an interest in developing can all agree on the idea of open and then diences (instead of one-size-fits-all mate- a way to recognize good work in open — a identify 100 paths to get there instead of rials), funding studies to look at issues like type of Nobel Prize for open. just one). how much libraries are spending on open, continued on page 12
10 Against the Grain / June 2017
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AVAST, ME HEARTIES AND LET’S READ ABOUT BASEBALL by Bruce Strauch (Retired, The Citadel) by Bruce Strauch (Retired, The Citadel) Pirate libraries hold millions of scholarly journal articles in violation Jim Boulton, Ball Four (First exposé book on infidelity, drinking of copyright. And they hand it out for free. and drug use by ball pros.) (1970); (2) Robert Peterson, On the Ball They began in Russia with the samizdat culture where scholars passed Was White (First book about the Negro Leagues. Inspired special Hall lit and scientific info underground to evade communist censorship. of Fame entries at Cooperstown.) (1970); (3) Bill Veeck, Veeck as in Wreck (3-foot-seven pinch hitter gets walked because he has no strike Then they shifted to English-language works. And grew to be ginor- zone.) (1962); (4) Ted Williams, The Science of Hitting (Ted’s legacy mous. A neuroscientist from Kazakhstan created Sci-Hub that jumped still in print.) (1970); (5) Michael Lewis, Moneyball (Mgr. uses stats the fence of journal paywalls via donated passwords. to find undervalued talent.) (2003). Elsevier began litigation against Sci-Hub and Library Genesis in See — Paul Dickson, “Five Best,” The Wall Street Journal, April 2015 claiming a loss of millions of dollars in profits. The pirates argue 22-23, 2017, p.C10. that their users could never afford the price of buying the articles so Elsevier really lost nothing. See — Sarah Laskow, “The Rise of Pirate Libraries,” Atlas Ob- scura, April 21, 2016. GROUNDBREAKING BIOGRAPHIES by Bruce Strauch (Retired, The Citadel) William Godwin, Memoirs of the Author of ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’ (Husband writes of Mary Wollstonecraft, feminist, NEVER A BAD TIME FOR A NEGRONI travel writer, children’s author.) (1798); (2) Elizabeth Gaskell, The Life by Bruce Strauch (Retired, The Citadel) of Charlotte Brontë (Liz actually interviewed Charlotte.) (1857); (3) The Strauch daughter — Ileana Jacks — returned from Venice a Michael Holroyd, Lytton Strachey (1967-68); (4) Robert Caro, The Negroni enthusiast. And starting June 1 is Negroni week. The classic Years of Lyndon Johnson (Four volumes of a study of power.) (1982- has equal parts sweet vermouth, Campari and gin. Rocks. Garnish 2012); (5) Stacy Schiff, Véra (The Nabokov with orange twist. marriage.) (1999). Or for a mod taste, smashed cucumber, Bonal vermouth, gin and See — Richard Holmes, “Five Best,” The beer. Cucumber ribbon wound through inside of glass. Salted rim. Wall Street Journal, April 1-2, 2017, p.C10. See — Jim Kearns, Wall Street Journal Podcast, 4-24-17. (Holmes is the author of The Long Pursuit: Reflections of a Romantic Biographer.)
write about them. Now, I am sure you are out there, Portico and national libraries with legal Things That Keep Us Awake at Night and I simply failed to look in the right places or ran deposit collections. Let’s please not from page 10 out of time before I did so. But, please, identify waste our energy on duplicating effort, yourselves loudly and proudly and come out of and instead really embrace and overcome 9. Trust. This conversation needs trust to the wordwork. For example, consider submitting the new challenges facing us all on data. move forward. There is a lot of mistrust in a proposal to speak at the Charleston Conference: • Big data and privacy — there is clearly the system — not in OSI, which is widely http://www.against-the-grain.com/2017/04/2017- lots of shared angst that needs to be seen as something of a unique refuge and charleston-conference-call-for-papers-now-open/. surfaced, and pragmatic steps for resolv- a unique and valuable opportunity to speak What especially gave me sleepless nights ing this need to be found. Again, the across the aisle — but in the larger schol- were the reasons provided by some real experts Charleston Conference is a good place comm system which has been so polarized in these areas about why they were unwilling to for this to happen. For example, Elsevi- for so long. Still, even within OSI, we still write on the key stressful topics identified. Now, er’s privacy policy was published partly haven’t cracked through to where we’re of course they are all busy people being experts, in response to an excellent session Ann having frank and open exchanges yet (at so perhaps these are polite cover stories, but what Okerson organized there on this topic least in the annual meetings) about funda- do you think of some of these responses: two years ago. Thank you, Ann. So… mental disagreements — issues like APCs, • Rights — there’s nothing new to report a little more conversation and then some for example. How and where to have these or discuss, nothing much has changed in action, please (to mangle Elvis Presley’s conversations is to be determined — maybe the last 5-7 years. This left me depressed, tune just ever so slightly). not in full-group meetings in front of live and if things are so entrenched surely this And then finally a hopeful and thoroughly audiences, but we can certainly continue must be a sign of problems in itself. to make progress in this regard. Scott pragmatic and positive note to end on, by the Plutchak noted that we can’t get to this level • Data and preservation — this is new wonderful Maggie Farrell. She reflects, from of trust (and engagement) by meeting only and hard and so understandably difficult her position as a Dean of Libraries, on the once a year for a few days — more meetings to write about, but what depressed me was importance of establishing a strategic vision and more engagement will be needed.” the huge willingness to write about the and for all the necessary things to drive change preservation of publications. The pres- through to a successful conclusion. If there is All restful music to my ears. Rock on, OSI! ervation of publications is not something one certainty we all share, it is that change is all The next three topics proved particularly frus- keeping me awake at night when we have around us and more is coming. Inspirational, trating as I was unable to find anyone willing to wonderful services like CLOCKSS and successful leadership is essential for us all. 12 Against the Grain / June 2017
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Against the Grain 2017_June.indd 1 5/2/2017 3:22:09 PM The Fake News Phenomenon: An Opportunity for the Library Community to Make a Splash? by Donald A. Barclay (Deputy University Librarian, University of California, Merced)
hen media coverage of the fake news news stories on such unlikely phenomena as Even when the creator of a for-profit fake phenomenon blew up in the waning cryptids, aliens, and dead celebrities spotted news article or video has no political motiva- Wmonths of 2016, many were taken alive and well. Going back even further, in tion, such stories can have the same effect as by surprise. I suspect, however, that most 1844 the New York Sun published a fake news propaganda, thus blurring the line between the librarians had thoughts similar to mine: “Wait story about a balloon crossing of the Atlantic two genres. Such blurring is one reason why a minute! This is about information literacy. accomplished in a mere three days. While the throwing around highly charged terms like pro- I’ve been rolling that rock up the hill my entire balloon hoax is remembered to- paganda and fake news can be career.” While the idea of individuals forming day mainly because it was writ- inexact and unhelpful. Anoth- opinions and making decisions on the basis of ten by none other than Edgar er problem with both terms is misinformation is discouraging, the furor over Allan Poe, it was neither the that what a person labels as fake news represents an opportunity for the first nor the only fake either propaganda or fake library community to show some leadership news story to be spread news greatly depends on and, as difficult as the challenge may be, take through the medium of one’s worldview. Just as meaningful action to help people become more ink on paper. devoted Nazis circa 1939 savvy users of information. Before consider- Approaching the would not have consid- ing what actions the library community might topic less broadly, fake ered Hitler’s ideas about take, though, it is important to understand the news turns out to be the Treaty of Versailles nuances of the problem. a nuanced concept. to be propaganda, they Understanding Propaganda Certain politicians (and would not have consid- their adherents) nar- ered reports of the Glei- And Fake News rowly define fake news witz incident — a fabricated report of an attack Propaganda and fake news are two related, as “any information on a German radio station used to justify the but different, phenomena. Understanding the that contradicts my worldview” and freely brutal invasion of Poland — to be fake news. difference between the two is the key first step apply the fake news label without regard to More troubling is that focusing exclusively on in taking action against their influences. the offending information’s accuracy or lack fake news can result in reductionist mindset in Propaganda — a type of misinformation thereof. An entirely different genre of fake which any given piece of information must be intentionally created to further political pur- news consists of satirical stories created for either rejected as entirely false or accepted as poses — has been around for millennia and purposes more humorous than political. The entirely true. almost certainly predates written language. long-running web publication The Onion is The oldest example of written propaganda is perhaps the leading U.S. source of satirical fake Are We Seeing a New Phenomenon? a description of the conquests of Darius the news stories, though it is certainly not the only If misleading information — whether pro- Great dating from 515 BCE. Since that time, such source. Taken out of context, satirical paganda or fake news — is nothing new, is the the world has endured an almost constant stories can be mistaken for serious news and recent concern over fake news nothing more stream of propaganda generated by societies opinion, a fate that has befallen satire since at than the latest moral panic, a case of collective as diverse as India’s Maurya Empire, Ancient least the time of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest hand wringing over things that have long been Rome, the Qing Dynasty, and (perhaps most Proposal” (if not well before). Yet another part of human culture? Not exactly. There are notoriously) Nazi Germany. Typically, pro- genre of fake news consists of items created some troubling difference about the misleading paganda consists of a mix of a small amount solely for the purpose of attracting the largest information of today versus that of the past. of fact with a large dose of fiction. When the possible number of readers or viewers. In the One obvious difference between the sit- Nazi party was coming to power, Adolf Hitler digital age, this type of mercenary, for-profit uation today versus all previous eras is the and his henchmen spread propaganda about the fake news often takes the form of fabricated sheer amount of information in existence. By harm caused to Germany by the punitive Treaty clickbait articles that appeal to the reader’s any measure — number of web pages, tweets, of Versailles. There was some truth to what politics, prejudices, or sense of outrage. An books, journal articles, images, videos, emails, the Nazis said about the Treaty of Versailles, alternative clickbait strategy is the use of bytes — the amount of information available but Nazi propagandists greatly exaggerated its tempting “You won’t believe....” headlines in the Digital Age is beyond human compre- impact and completely fabricated stories blam- designed to attract clicks that translate into hension. This permanent, ever worsening ing the treaty on German Jews and other Nazi advertising revenue. state of information overload has made the scapegoats. While propaganda is most closely Those who create for-profit fake news task of figuring out what information to trust associated with political aims, its definition is reap big payoffs when their stories go viral. and what to doubt more challenging than ever sometimes expanded to include such non-po- In August 2016 The Guardian reported that before. A second difference is how easy digital litical activities as commercial advertising. For teenagers in the small town of Veles, Macedo- technology makes it to transmit a message to example, the tobacco industry’s decades-long nia were running over 150 websites featuring a (potentially) vast audience. Whereas in the efforts to promote cigarette smoking can be pro-Donald-Trump fake news stories simply past the cost of printing thousands of copies seen as a case study of commercial advertising as a way to earn money rather than out of any of a polemic or manifesto and delivering those crossing the line into the realm of propaganda. politically motivated interest in the U.S. elec- copies to thousands of potential readers was Broadly speaking, fake news resembles tions. In March 2017, Sixty Minutes reported daunting, today a webpage, tweet, meme, or propaganda in that it contains far more fiction on a purveyor of fake news named Jestin image can be created and made public at so than fact, yet differs in that fake news is not Coler who claimed to earn $10,000 a month low a cost that a creator can risk churning out inspired by a political agenda. Although not as from advertising revenues generated by such dozens — even hundreds — of messages in ancient as propaganda, fake news predates the fabricated stories as his report that the U.S. the hope that one will go viral and reach an Digital Age. For example, The Weekly World Army had quarantined an entire Texas town due audience of millions. A third difference is the News (established in 1979) was a supermarket to an Ebola outbreak or another story claiming ease with which today’s digital information tabloid best known for its sensationalistic that anyone who signs up for Obamacare is can be copied and forwarded — possibly out black-and-white covers and painfully fake implanted with a RFID tracking chip. continued on page 16
14 Against the Grain / June 2017
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www.casalini.it for complete information on our services the nature of the digital world, there is nothing brand name for searching the web or Microsoft The Fake News Phenomenon ... to stop propagandists or purveyors of fake news Word has established itself as the brand name from page 14 from claiming that their site is the go-to desti- for word processing. nation for accurate, trustworthy, fact-checked While I cannot spell out every detail for of context and lacking key metadata, such as information. making so large an initiative a reality, I have the name of the original creator of the infor- some thoughts on the high-level requirements: mation or its date of creation. A fourth, and What Can Librarians Do? final, difference is the ease with which digital • National and international library While librarians cannot stop the phenome- associations must agree to work information can be altered. Digital tools that non of untrustworthy information being spread make it simple to deceptively edit text, images, jointly on this initiative and make via the tools and behaviors of the Digital it their top priority. The work must and video have been widely available for years. Age, they can, and are, doing things to help In 2016, Abode raised the stakes by introducing start soon, before the world becomes individuals make better choices about what complacent about the fake news a new technology described as “a Photoshop information to trust and what to doubt. A tan- for audio.” With Adobe’s new technology and phenomenon and turns its fleeting gible example is the recent IFLA infographic attention elsewhere. twenty minutes of any individual’s recorded “How To Spot Fake News,” a document I have voice, editing speech becomes as simple as frequently shared with others. Also, librarians • A united library community must editing text in a word processing document. readily recognized the recent uproar over fake approach this initiative with as much Imagine, for example, how easy it would be news to be a rare teaching opportunity: after impartiality as is humanly possible. for someone equipped with this technology and decades of relegation to the margins of educa- If the initiative is perceived as being access to historic audio recordings to create, tion, the importance of being able to evaluate influenced by market forces, parti- say, a convincing recording of Lyndon Baines information is suddenly headline news. But as sanship, or special interest, it will Johnson admitting in his own voice that he was commendable and necessary as such actions die on the vine. personally responsible for the assassination of on the part of librarians are, it feels a bit like • Librarians must leverage the power John F. Kennedy. the library community is trying to stop a forest of digital technology to have any But just as technology can make the prob- fire with a squirt pistol. There is simply too meaningful impact. lem of misleading information worse, it can much untrustworthy information coming too Of the above high-level requirements, also be used to fight back. FaceBook, for fast and from too many sources for high-touch finding a technological solution is probably the example, has (somewhat belatedly) undertaken techniques like reference interviews, lecture/ biggest stretch. That said, here is a blue-sky initiatives to flag fake news and discourage demonstrations, or the sharing of well-made idea about how a technological solution might FaceBook users from forwarding discredited infographics to have the necessary impact. be achieved: A united library community teams stories. Websites like Snopes, Politico, and Which is not to say that such techniques with a willing technology giant (say Google Blue Feed/Red Feed exist to help people make are worthless or should be entirely abandoned, or FaceBook) to develop a search engine that informed decisions about the information they merely that they are not going to win the day employs algorithms designed to favor charac- encounter in their daily lives. The website all by themselves. Individual initiatives that teristics of trustworthiness and factuality rather Climate Feedback was established by climate rely on substantial, on-going investments than favoring a site’s popularity. Librarians and scientists to evaluate stories on climate change of librarian labor, such as compiling lists of allied information scientists would be excellent and challenge stories that present unscientific untrustworthy websites or sharing techniques consultants for identifying the characteristics information about climate change. In March for ferreting out fake news, simply do not scale of trustworthiness and factuality as well as for 2017 the Omidyar Network pledged $100M to in the digital world. It is all a bit reminiscent testing beta versions of the search engine. In fight fake news, a welcome development that of the librarian-backed initiative (circa mid- the ideal scenario, the final product not only should lead to even more resources that support 1990s) to catalog the entire Internet — a com- retrieves links ranked by trustworthiness, but seekers of trustworthy information. mendable goal that collapsed under the sheer also provides a sophisticated “Trustworthiness While such efforts to fact check fake news impossibility of keeping up with the growth of Rating” for each link retrieved. and propaganda are commendable, the problem online information. Instead of pursuing small Crazy idea? Probably. But we live in crazy is that such resources exist as silos. Is it rea- wins, the library community should seize the times, times in which either doing nothing sonable to expect that the average person will opportunity presented by the fake news phe- or doing what we have always done are not take the initiative to find and make use of any nomenon to do something huge; namely, un- formulas for success. The library community of these tiny islets spread across a vast ocean dertaking a thoroughly coordinated campaign must either fight the rising tide of misinforma- of digital information? Another problem with to established libraries and librarians as the as tion or drown in it. In the words of the late, isolated fact checking resources is that any site brand-name antidote to fake news, propaganda, great Johnny Cash, “How high’s the water, claiming to be the enemy of misinformation and all forms of misinformation in much the Mama?” could very well be the exact opposite. Given same way that Google has established itself as
Rumors UC Press, Alison was Executive NEWS FLASH! Congratulations Vice President at SAGE Publi- to the incredible Sharna Williams from page 6 cations, Inc., leading publishing who has retired from her job at the programs across books, journals Addlestone Library of the College Open Access programs Collabra and Lumi- and digital platforms. Her 25 of Charleston! Even though Sharna nos. It has been an incredible transformation. plus years in the publishing has many talents (she is a great seam- The opportunity to lead the ground-breaking industry include leadership po- PLOS which has spearheaded a revolution in stress and gardner), Sharna will keep sitions at Blackwell Publishers on working with the Charleston scientific communication was too tempting. in Oxford, UK, and Taylor & Alison acknowledges that the OA market has Conference and Against the Grain. Francis Inc., in Philadelphia, Whew and Hooray! evolved and matured. Her top priority will be U.S. Alison received her Bach- charting what comes next for PLOS — how elor of Arts degree from the The Internet Archive was hon- does it remain true to its mission and continue University of Bath and her ored with a Lifetime Achievement to push boundaries? Alison loves the public Masters in Business Administration from The Award at the 21st Annual Webbys, hailed by advocacy part of her work and is looking Open University. Congratulations, Alison! the New York Times as “one of the Internet’s forward to expanding that at PLOS. Prior to Looking forward to the next steps! continued on page 32 16 Against the Grain / June 2017
The Insufficiency of Facts by T. Scott Plutchak (Director of Digital Data Curation Strategies, University of Alabama at Birmingham)
riting in the New York Times Maga- hending the world gave rise to modern science who laid the groundwork for our understanding zine in 2004, Ron Suskind recount- and engineering, with all its technological of how little rational thought is actually used to Wed a conversation he’d had two years marvels (along with an unprecedented capacity determine our behavior.3 Marketers of all sorts previously with an unnamed senior advisor to for inflicting misery and destruction). En- (very much including political consultants) un- then president George W. Bush. The advisor lightenment theories of governance gave rise derstand that using emotional triggers is a much described Suskind as belonging to the “reali- to democratic institutions and societal values more effective way to generate the behavior ty-based community,” people who “believe that based in notions of inalienable human rights. that they want than appeals to fact and rational solutions emerge from your judicious study of Scholarly journals, advanced librarianship argument. There is a great danger that mem- discernible reality.” He went on, “that’s not the and professional journalism were key bers of the “fact-based community” way the world really works anymore… when elements of the infrastructure. fail to recognize that they are just as we [i.e., the Bush administration] act, we create For the next few centuries, susceptible to these sorts of manip- 1 our own reality.” the press (and other media), the ulations as those with whom they In 2005, Stephen Colbert coined the word reins of government and, to a disagree, who seem to be basing “truthiness” on the debut episode of “The significant extent, the levers their beliefs on “demonstrably Colbert Report.” It referred to the quality of of Western capitalism, were false” information. believing something that we think ought to all controlled by people who “Demonstrably false.” be true, rather than what actually is. Merri- accepted this view. There How does one determine that? am-Webster named it 2006’s word of the year. was a broad consensus of the Conservative commentators It was amusing. nature of what was real and like the radio talk show host “Reality.” “Truth.” The concepts have al- true, and who or what could be Charlie Sykes, or the recently ways been more elusive than we care to admit. believed. Walter Cronkite, a installed editor of the Weekly Over the course of the past year, however, as television news reader, could achieve the status Standard, Stephen Hayes, argue that the as- of the most trusted man in America. saults on the mainstream media that the right the presidential campaign unfolded, the ability 4 to distinguish fact from fiction appeared to There were always outliers. Conspiracy has waged for years have been too effective. many to have reached a crisis point. From theorists who believed the moon landing was Now, rather than treating the media with a every corner of the political spectrum came a hoax, the Illuminati were covertly organiz- healthy and judicious skepticism, too many accusations of lying. Polls showed that nei- ing the New World Order, fluoridation is a people are inclined to a kneejerk disbelief. ther of the major presidential candidates was nefarious plot to make a passive population The awareness that all individuals have biases considered trustworthy by a majority of the easier to control, and many more, going back becomes justification for disbelieving every- electorate. The term “fake news” was coined through centuries. thing that is claimed by people whose biases to indicate stories that were known to be false we suspect are different from our own. On And there have always been people for the internet, Breitbart News, the New York by the people who initially spread them, but it whom the truths of their religions were more quickly became an epithet for any news story Times, Infowars, the Wall Street Journal, reliable than what science seemed to claim. CNN, FoxNews, and every other site pur- that one disagreed with. Even the definition They argued against evolution and for an eth- of “fake news” became a matter of dispute. porting to bring you the facts suffers the same ical system that was scripture based. Molly deficits of credibility. People who might identify as members of the Worthen describes the “biblical worldview” reality-based community are now alarmed at that provides the grounding for many evan- Journalists, librarians, and scholars across a presidency that appears to be quite comfort- gelicals.2 I recall reading many years ago all disciplines have, as part of their profession- able, and successful, pursuing an agenda based an interview with a high school senior who, al ethics, a dedication to objectivity. We are on “alternative facts.” when faced with having to choose between supposed to focus on facts and not allow our Social media have been widely blamed evolution and creationism, decided in favor of personal views of the way we wish the world and so there are calls for Facebook or Google creationism because it was more in line with the to be to affect our professional practice in or some other technology juggernaut to sort religious principles on which she had always describing and organizing and understanding through the murk. The hope seems to be that based her life. On what basis might someone the way the world is. That objectivity has if there were some reliable mechanism for persuade her to choose otherwise? never been perfect. But there was a general separating fake news from true news, people consensus among the professionals in those But these divergent views couldn’t quite groups, that was generally shared by the pub- like those who believe that Hillary Clinton is shake the standard consensus because they running a child prostitution ring out of a Wash- lic at large, that professional practice usually didn’t have sufficient tools to distribute their approached the standard. A certain degree of ington, DC pizza parlor would quickly realize contrary messages. Then came the internet. that they’ve been deceived and would drop healthy skepticism was always wise, but it was Internet enthusiasts believed that the new their suspicions. The facts will set them free. safe to treat what was presented as journalistic communication technologies would liberate us or scientific fact as generally reliable. There If only it were that simple. The epistemo- from the control of the elites, democratize in- was a trust that the people engaged in those logical problem goes far deeper. How do we formation, empower people to make their own professions were genuinely doing their best to know? That is, how do we know anything? decisions. But those who predicted a golden achieve that objectivity. Where is the porous boundary between knowl- age of people coming together were generally Over the past twenty years, that trust edge and belief? people who believed in the Enlightenment has substantially eroded. These days, many It was during the Enlightenment, the Age project. They didn’t foresee that the internet people believe not only that such objectivity of Reason, that the concepts of Western sci- would be powerfully used by people who did in unachievable, but that people engaged in ence were developed and codified to create a not share those assumptions. Instead of the those professions aren’t even really trying, method for understanding the world. It was wisdom of the crowd, more often we have the that the claims to objectivity are deluded at rooted in the principle that there was indeed delusions of the mob. best, if not actually deceitful. Throughout the an objective reality to be known, and that the Tamsin Shaw recently reviewed The Undo- political campaigns, for example, the New York scientific method laid out by Descartes and ing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Times was criticized from all sides. The Bernie those who came after him was the way to Minds, which discusses the work of Daniel Bros accused it of intentionally undermining understand that reality. That way of compre- Kahneman and Amos Tversky, psychologists continued on page 20
18 Against the Grain / June 2017
theory prevails over time, and what was once four centuries. Imperfect, yes, but still worth The Insufficiency of Facts thought to be undeniably true is cast aside. defending. from page 18 But the proper response isn’t to throw up our In an age of information inauthenticity, hands and declare that nothing can be believed, this should compel us to take even greater the Bernie Sanders campaign in order to ad- and that all scientists are just pursuing their care to pursue objectivity in our professional vance Hillary Clinton’s candidacy. Clinton own agendas for their own ends. The myriad roles, while recognizing that as individual supporters complained it was not being hard problems with peer review should guide us to a people, we are subject to the same currents enough on Donald Trump, out of a misplaced healthy skepticism bound to a continuing deter- and emotional manipulations as anyone else. desire to appear to be balanced and objective. mination to improve the processes by which we Knowing how to train our judicious skepticism Every media outlet, mainstream or otherwise, record and evaluate and share scholarly work. in the direction of the mirror is an essential was similarly attacked by those who believe Some librarians argue that we should skill. The work that we do, librarians, scholars, that everyone has an agenda. abandon the pretense of objectivity. Since publishers, journal editors, provides the infra- Once that trust in the media has been evis- our decisions are just as affected by biases as structure for the reality-based community. The cerated, how does one make decisions about anyone else’s, we should embrace those biases upheavals of recent decades, made glaringly what to believe? Confirmation bias takes over and develop a librarianship of progressivism stark in the political battles of the past year, and even if we think we are conscientiously that is dedicated to using our professional skills should remind us how fragile the bedrock of searching for facts and making informed deci- and our institutions to pursue social justice that community is. Protecting it isn’t easy, and sions, we are constantly cherry-picking to build aims. I’m sympathetic. But taken too far, the task is never done. arguments that support what we already believe. this can lead to an abdication of the essential Facts matter, but they’re insufficient. They role librarians play. Provide the full range of don’t compel belief. We leap from facts to the information and the tools to make the most of conclusions we want to be true. As an editor it. The conclusions that people come to have Endnotes and a reviewer I’ve often found the weakest to be their own. 1. Suskind, Ron. “Faith, Certainty, and the part of a paper is its conclusion. The authors A certain measure of humility is in order. Presidency of George W. Bush.” The New may have good data, solid facts, but they The notion that rooting out fake news and York Times Magazine. October 17, 2004. claim their data prove things that just aren’t alternative facts will significantly dampen the 2. Worthen, Molly. “The Evangelical there. They see in their data the patterns that Roots of Our Post-Truth Society.” The New substantial factional divides in contemporary York Times. April 13, 2017. they want to see. We come to belief through society is naïve. But it is still an essential step. 3. Shaw, Tamsin. “Invisible Manipulators a complex mixture of factual analysis, values We can acknowledge our biases and their effect and emotions. Even when people agree on of Your Mind.” The New York Review of on our judgment, while still being committed Books. April 20, 2017. the facts, their values may lead them to very to the goal of objectivity that we know we different views about the nature of the reality 4. Rutenberg, Jim. “The Weekly Stan- will never quite achieve. The values of the dard’s Arsenal to Fight Falsehoods: ‘Facts, they’re in and the actions they should take. Enlightenment and the view of reality that they Logic and Reason’.” The New York Times. The scientific consensus is never perfect. engendered have led to vast improvements in March 26, 2017. Paradigms shift. Sometimes the unlikeliest the quality of life for millions of people over
New Metrics for a New Strategy by Roger Schonfeld (Director, Library and Scholarly Communication Program, Ithaka S+R)
he need for new metrics in research libraries is well established. collections of published materials, duplicated at other institutions, which Some have described this need as being a matter of switching our are increasingly selected through bundled content, vendor profiles, or Tthinking away from inputs towards outcomes, or away from how through an on-demand basis. Even if they spend a substantial amount of much we spend to how much value we create. These are absolutely resources on these general collections, they recognize that their source important ways of understanding why universities should invest in their of differentiation and value-add will be through distinctive collections libraries and a positive direction for metrics. But in parallel, academic and partnerships and services in direct support of research, teaching, and research libraries are making a strategic pivot, from an emphasis on learning. The arc of these transitions is outlined in Figure 1. general collections to an emphasis on more distinctive collections, partnerships, and services. As the contributions of a library shift, so should the metrics for evaluating its success. We need to shift not only away from an undue attention to inputs, which is complicated enough, but I am kept awake wondering how we move to ways of defining and measuring success that are appropriate to our strategic directions. Here is some preliminary in-process thinking on these topics. A New Strategy Demographic, fiscal, technological, and other types of change are today impacting every type of higher education institution. As higher education institutions look to differentiate themselves, their libraries are equally pursuing distinctive strategies. No longer is it the case (if indeed it ever was) that every library simply wishes to build the largest collection it can afford. Instead, libraries are looking to distinguish themselves for the services that they can provide in support of their parent institution’s research and/or educational mission.1 Broadly speaking, research libraries are pursuing a wide-ranging transition. Ultimately, they will provide less value by offering general continued on page 22
20 Against the Grain / June 2017
to one another. To provide concrete examples of how input metrics can New Metrics for a New Strategy be used effectively by leaders, here are examples of some of the analysis from page 20 that a research library might want to undertake: • If it is trying to reduce its emphasis on local tangible collec- Defining Desired Outcomes tions as a measure of success and focus instead on providing The purpose of this strategic repositioning is to realign the li- access to resources, brary with the larger objectives of the parent university. The larger ° Instead of measuring the size of a local collection, objectives of the university can also be seen as desired outcomes in terms of volumes, measure the amount of materials for the library: that your library makes readily available (including • Maximize the productivity of the research enterprise shared print resources, licensed digital collections, • Ensure student success, including retention, progression, facilitated open access materials, and even DDA completion, as well as learning and later-life outcomes options) • Enhance the university’s reputation and its ability to attract ° And, beyond just measuring the absolute amount students and scholars of materials made readily available, measure its • Increase grant support, public funding, and other sources of growth curve and/or its ratio against local collection revenue volume count • Engage and include communities ° Finally, instead of measuring the amount of money spent on materials, measure the ratio of the amount Such outcomes are the work of the university as a whole. For almost spent on building collections locally against that any desired outcome, the library will be but one factor among many that spent providing access to materials from elsewhere makes a contribution. The library can make an important and mean- or on a shared basis ingful contribution to each of these potential outcomes but it cannot single-handedly ensure them and therefore cannot be solely responsible • If a library is trying to transition to a greater emphasis on rare for them. While desired outcomes are helpful in positioning the library’s and distinctive materials, strategy, it is exceedingly difficult to measure the library’s (or almost ° Instead of measuring the amount of money spent any other university unit’s) contributions to these types of outcomes. on materials broadly, measure the amount of money spent on rare and distinctive collections, and also the Reconsidering Outputs ratio of money spent on rare and distinctive collec- While there has been a substantial move to correlate library invest- tions against all collections and access ments and usage with these types of outcomes, perhaps outputs — the ° More ambitiously, measure not only the acquisi- services that libraries are providing — constitute a cleaner way to tions costs but include also employee time and direct describe the library’s value. Defining success at a service level may expenses, including processing, description, access not suffice in every case, but it has the benefit of statistical validity. provision, storage, and preservation. Consider calcu- To take just a few examples, the library might commit to: lating storage fees so that moving collections offsite • Provide collections and services (in person and virtually) to reduces their cost. Using this approach, calculate the 10% more visiting researchers/students than it did last year, amount spent on rare and distinctive collections vs as one vehicle for enhancing the university’s reputation; all collections and access. • Engage every faculty member in a one-on-one setting with a Similar examples can be offered for the transition away from general librarian during the course of the academic year, to stay up to collections towards partnerships and services, and for other strategic date on their needs and ultimately maximize the productivity priorities. of their scholarship; Inputs are sometimes used too simplistically, not least because the • Interact with every first-year student during their first semester kinds of measures proposed above are difficult to calculate in the way that on campus, serving proactively to support student success; or many budgets are constructed and many employees report their time (if • Increase by ten percentage points (compared with last year) indeed they do so). Some organizations use mechanisms like project codes the share of faculty publications that comply with open access to assign expenses to product lines, which in the case of the library could and other appropriate policies, to increase and maintain grant be categories such as rare and distinctive collections, general collections, and other forms of support. and partnerships and services. While the cultural transformation needed to think in these terms might be substantial for many organizations, without Each of these proposed outputs is ambitious in itself. Each has the these kind of input metrics it is virtually impossible to be accountable for benefit of defining success in areas where the library can exercise agency, executing on the strategy established for the library. if not alone then in a clear partnership. Drawing together a strong narrative about why each of these output measures is an appropriate mechanism Defining Success to bolster the university’s desired outcomes is a key part of this exercise. In the future to which we are transitioning, alignment with a parent Don’t Abandon Inputs university strongly suggests that value at the vast majority of libraries will not be measured principally by the size of the collection that is Some observers have expressed their concerns that research libraries made available locally. Given the importance of this alignment, it devote too much attention to inputs, such as number of staff and size is appealing to try to tie the library to university outcomes. While of budget. As raw figures, these measure little more than the amount establishing this alignment is vital, university outcomes may not of resources given to the library by its parent university and provide no in every case offer the best definition of success against which the indication of strategic direction or success. But when organized and library should measure itself. Library outputs, and even the dreaded analyzed, inputs can help leaders to track the implementation of their inputs, may in fact offer smart insight for library leaders to measure strategy, both within individual large and complex organizations and their organizational success, strategic development, and university also across the community more broadly. alignment. Although all libraries understand their top-line spending on employee compensation and on materials, few if any can associate this unambiguous- ly with their strategic direction. As I have argued elsewhere, many library Endnotes leaders do not have a clear understanding of how employee time–the most 1. Constance Malpas and Roger Schonfeld, “University Futures; precious of all resources–is allocated. As a result, they find it difficult Library Futures,” http://www.sr.ithaka.org/blog/university-futures-li- to track internally whether their organizations are allocating resources brary-futures/. 2 appropriately in response to a stated, or even implicit, strategic direction. 2. http://www.sr.ithaka.org/blog/shaping-a-library-by-linking-planning- Every library has its own strategy, and I make no claim that identical and-budgeting/ metrics are appropriate across all libraries, even those apparently similar 22 Against the Grain / June 2017
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page size: advert live area 8.5x11in 7.5in x 10 in Making Open Access / Open Data / Open Science A Reality: An International Overview by Gemma Hersh (VP, Open Science, Elsevier, London)
The Collaborative Road Towards 330,000 articles published by members such as ity and usage acts as an additional incentive for Open Access AAAS, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Wiley researchers to share their own data. CrossRef, and SAGE.2 DataCite, other organizations such as the Re- If there’s one thing we’ve all observed search Data Alliance and the International about politics in recent years, it’s that while po- Best of all, anyone searching for research Council for Science World Data System, and larization makes for great soundbites, it doesn’t funded by participating agencies is automati- of course publishers, have all collaborated and lead to progress or results. Unfortunately, the cally directed to view the best available version contributed to the success of this framework. same approach has been applied to scholarly of the paper. The final published article is publishing in the past, with some defining the available if the reader is an entitled user or if Open Science the article has been published gold open access; industry — inaccurately, in our view — as A key driver of open science is improving comprising old-guard legacy publishers on for others, the accepted manuscript is available after the embargo period. research performance, and enabling researchers one side and ideologically driven evangelists to collaborate more efficiently is central to on the other. Such polarization was behind the CHORUS has already begun exploring how this. Open access and open data are the most slow initial uptake of open access, where green its system can be used to enable open access ef- notable headline items associated with open OA was fragmented at best and nonexistent at ficiently and effectively at the institution level. science in many parts of the world, including worst, and gold open access offerings were It is piloting its services with the University Brussels, Tokyo and Washington, DC, but it can virtually absent in mainstream publishing. of Florida, which remains at the forefront of have other features too, for example collabo- Fortunately, in more recent years the experimenting with innovative solutions for ration. Publishers and scholarly collaboration ecosystem has moved past the public access, and has attracted networks have been working closely over the rhetoric and begun to develop international interest, with pi- last year to give researchers a much clearer into a real market, and a more lots between the Japan Science understanding of how they can get on with rational policy framework that and Technology Agency (JST) what they love doing — research — and col- encouraged the so-called old and Chiba University in Japan laborate without having to worry about access guard and the evangelists to and, more recently between the and usage rights. Australian Research Council work together to increase the Resources such as howcanIshareit.com help and LaTrobe University in volume of open access content, researchers understand how and where they Australia. along with new technologies can share responsibly and can also provide through which to use it. This all proves that pub- a springboard for further discussions around This has been particularly lishers, institutions and funders why responsible sharing is important for all true over the last year, when the scholarly re- can and do work together, and when they do stakeholders. Of course enabling seamless search ecosystem has seen significant progress the results are fantastic. One can also point collaboration is a primary goal, but there are in making open access, open data and open to the UK which, thanks to the collaboration others. For example, when different versions science a reality. The volume of gold open between stakeholders that were part of the of articles are shared across different platforms, access content globally now stands at 20%, Finch Group, is one of the leading open it is hard for a researcher to know which and the remaining 80% of articles published access nations: Monitoring the Transition to version they are accessing and whether it is under the subscription model are eligible for Open Access, published in 2015 on behalf of the definitive version of record published and the green road to open access. This change has the Universities UK Open Access Monitoring maintained by the publisher. This can impact been driven by one key variable: collaboration. Group, found that the UK was ahead of global the integrity of the scholarly record and can trends in both gold and green open access.3 also lead to (or result from) incorrect version The Benefits of Collaboration Stakeholders continue to work together in the sharing. Publishers worry about incorrect As US federal funding agencies continued UK through the Universities UK Open Access version sharing, as it impacts their ability to to explore how to implement their public access Monitoring Group. keep journals in operation — important for the plans in line with the OSTP Memo published progress of science. by the White House Science and Technology Open Data Similarly, without a system in place to Office in 2013, the collaborative initiative Collaboration has yielded excellent results measure usage (and other metrics) of all the CHORUS made great strides in coordinating for progressing science in the open data space different versions on different platforms it is publishers and funders. Today it enables access too, most notably through The Framework for hard for a researcher to know how their work to about 75,000 articles on research funded by Scholarly Link Exchange (Scholix), which is being used and therefore to demonstrate the Department of Energy, the National Science provides a robust, sustainable infrastructure impact — increasingly important for funding Foundation and others and is ready to enable that connects published research with underly- applications. Usage and other metrics also access to many more.1 ing data. Establishing links between data and the published literature is crucial to enhancing help publishers evolve their services for the CHORUS is a partnership between partic- research community. ipating publishers and funders to use existing data discovery, visibility and utility, enabling publisher infrastructure to effectively enable articles and data to be read together in context. A Look Ahead public access. The benefits of CHORUS are A number of publishers have been working Building on the successes of the last year, that it avoids duplication of effort (why should closely with data repositories for some time one likely area of focus is a proposal for Dis- funders, often taxpayers, invest in and build ad- to enable bilateral linking between deposited tributed Usage Logging (DUL): a systematized ditional infrastructure when much of it already datasets and articles. Scholix makes this pro- way of measuring article usage across different exists?) and requires minimal effort on behalf cess scalable and more efficient, enabling links platforms while respecting privacy. Given how of researchers (why deposit manuscripts when to be shared with minimal effort and combined far we have come in enabling scholarly sharing publishers have these and can open them at the with links from other sources to develop a through a distributed network of connections, right time?). And it ensures 100% open access global standard and web of interlinked research a challenge is to ensure that sharing can be compliance. CHORUS is currently monitoring datasets and publications. It also makes it eas- measured. Again, without a system in place to and auditing for public-access status, reuse ier for researchers to find and access relevant measure usage of the different article versions licenses and archiving arrangements close to articles and data sets because increasing visibil- continued on page 25 24 Against the Grain / June 2017
uring the day, the bustle of my position ganization in determining their direction. The Every construction job requires unique as Dean of Libraries keeps me running supporting objectives will create the blueprint skills and expertise. In building a home, an Dfrom meeting to task to email to project for building library services. Just as with any electrician does not work on the plumbing. development and back to meetings. The juggle construction plan, the plan will outline what The building plan determines what expertise of activities can be overwhelming but typically resources are necessary and for libraries, those is necessary for the construction. So too in li- energizing as our library program engages with resources include funding, staffing, technology, braries — we need a variety of experts that can the university to advance teaching, learning, equipment, and facilities. Most construction support our work and the challenge is likely in and research. I am fortunate; the Libraries at projects are developed with a team of experts the developing areas in which librarians are in- Clemson University are center stage within and the same applies to libraries as librarians novating new services. Currently, libraries are campus life and are deeply regarded by the and library workers need to be engaged in the expanding digital collections, developing data university community for outstanding librar- development of the blueprint. Their expertise management plans, implementing services that ians and staff. It is during the quiet of the is essential to develop realistic objectives in ad- visualize data, connecting with patrons through night that worries appear as to if we can build dition to securing employee buy-in to the future online services, developing new metadata the services that contribute to the education of the library. Before starting any project, the schemes, electronically connecting disparate of our students, how we might construct a vision and plan will be fundamental as it will collections, and delivering information from scaffold of research services, how we will outline the work that needs to be undertaken. around the globe to the desktop. Just as our build on traditional services to create a new With any construction or renovation proj- homes have changed from manual furnaces structure that supports data manipulation and ect, one must decide what should be removed (remember having to light the furnace?!) to visualization, and how we repurpose limited in order to make space for an initiative or home temperatures controlled by your phone, budgets to take on new initiatives. The foun- new service. This takes skill as it is difficult these services do not sound like your dad’s dation of all these questions is how we might to imagine a different set of services or to library. It is an exciting time to be a librarian transform from traditional librarianship to eliminate a process or service regardless of but it is also daunting as new services and types create services, collections, and buildings that its usefulness. Home renovation projects are of collections either add to existing services or support the modern needs of our students and fascinating as the expert determines that a wall replace services. Catalogers are challenged to faculty. At night, visions of blueprints, scaf- can be removed or a door relocated. Librari- describe data including new information such folding, cranes, and tools appear as I wonder ans should be assured that it is difficult to see as rights management. Reference librarians how we will accomplish so much with limited beyond the daily responsibilities to eliminate connect with patrons virtually and may never time, funding, and positions. The only way a process that might open up a new initiative. guide a student face to face. Libraries are to move forward is internal transformation of And it might be a perfectly good process just purchasing less print materials but have to operations, employee skills, and eliminating as the wall in a house might be a perfectly good manage a complex information environment good but less critical operations to embrace wall but tearing down a wall may open up space to connect disparate databases and citations a new future. How are libraries able to truly just as eliminating a service may open up staff for desktop delivery. Librarians are connect- evolve to meet current needs of our patrons? to different services. External consultants, ing digital objects to GIS and to other digital As one contemplates the future of the li- brainstorming, and seeking constituent input collections. To build the library of the future, brary, vision is critical. What are some methods that may we need specific skills and expertise to enable are the goals? Where does assist librarians in imaging our construction. the library want to go in different services and de- Unlike construction in which contractors supporting the university termining if any existing are hired for particular jobs, libraries are or community? How does services or processes are already staffed and a library cannot, nor the library fit within the not as vital. The blueprint should not, just replace existing personnel broader institutional goals also helps in such situa- with different employees. How does a library and objectives? The first tions as it focuses opera- transition to new skill sets? What incentives step in building the future is tions on priority goals and do libraries have to assist librarians and library to establish the vision for the helps librarians to imagine workers to take on new challenges or to reward library. This will guide the or- the finished work. outstanding initiatives? What professional development opportunities exist for personnel to develop new skills? Just as it is not easy for a plumber to become an electrician, a cataloger may need support in moving from cataloging this is in development now, alongside multiple print materials to cataloging digital objects Making Open Access / Open Data ... stakeholder dialogues, to ensure the relevant and data sets. from page 24 standards and protocols to make DUL a success Perhaps developing and keeping expertise are taken into account. is one of the most significant challenges facing on different platforms, it is also hard for a re- There’s a tremendous amount of progress library management today. Certainly declining searcher to know how their work is being used being made in scholarly publishing today budgets are a primary concern but within our and therefore to demonstrate impact. as more head down the collaboration road budget authority, how do managers motivate Measuring usage is also important for together. Is your institution going along for and encourage personnel to learn new skills? librarians who want to know how their sub- the ride? Going back to the construction blueprint helps. scribed content is being used. For publishers, Librarians and library workers who understand the signals we get from how researchers inter- the vision and objectives of the plan are more act with content helps us enhance our platforms Endnotes likely to contribute toward its success. The and services for the wider research community. 1. https://www.chorusaccess.org/ planning process should be inclusive so that These considerations have motivated CrossRef 2. https://www.chorusaccess.org/ personnel are engaged in developing the and COUNTER to look at DUL to enable par- 3. https://www.elsevier.com/connect/open- strategies to advance the libraries. With clear ties to transmit sensitive data on user content access-policy-propelled-the-uk-ahead-of- direction and support from within the organi- interactions directly to authorised end points. global-trends zation, libraries can make significant strides The technical infrastructure needed to support continued on page 26 Against the Grain / June 2017
Booklover — Canetti Crowds and Power Column Editor: Donna Jacobs (Retired, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425)
“Crowds and Power.” This intriguing man can become free of this fear of being power. Someone title by Elias Canetti, the Bulgarian author touched. … This reversal of the fear of being who knew nothing who won the 1981 Nobel Prize for Litera- touched belongs to the nature of the crowds.” about power could ture, caught my attention while perusing the Canetti then spends several chapters describ- discover all of its library for the next reading selection toward ing the open crowd, closed crowd, rhythmic attributes, one after my goal of reading one piece of work by crowd, stagnating crowd, flight crowds, ethnic another, by careful every author who has every won the Nobel crowds, reversal crowds, the pack, religious observation of a conductor.” Canetti begins Prize. (Update — 51 laureates’ literature read crowds, and finally the crowds in history. with the single aspect of standing — a power — not quite halfway to the goal.) “Crowds Then the dynamic shifts to power. 55 chap- stance. The conductor is the only one standing. and Power” presents itself like a case study ters are given to navigate power. He begins The orchestra sits in front. The audience sits of humanity, possibly even a textbook for again with an intriguing title: “The Entrails in back. “Quite small movements are all he a sociology course. In 50 short somewhat of Power” and an investigation into the use needs to wake this or that instrument to life or staccato chapters he guides the reader through of the hand. Power is shown with force, to silence at will. He has the power of life and an understanding of crowds. He begins with speed, survival, secrecy, mercy, command, death over the voices of the instruments; one the interesting premise in the first chapter transformation, fame, and is illustrated with long silent will speak again at his command.” entitled, “The Fear of Being Touched.” descriptions of African kings, slavery, rulers This same power is also over the audience who “There is nothing that man fears more than and paranoiacs. is usually abuzz until the conductor appears on the touch of the unknown. He wants to see But the most thought provoking illustration the dais. They become silent and still in their what is reaching towards him, and to be able of power for me is in the chapter entitled “The seats and remain that way until the conductor to recognize or at least classify it. Man always Orchestral Conductor.” “There is NO more makes the final baton movement. tends to avoid physical contact with anything obvious expression of power than the per- I love live music, be it classical, jazz, blues, strange.” A couple of paragraphs describing formance of a conductor. Every detail of his rock-n-roll, indie, or up and coming, and enjoy this fear and then: “It is only in a crowd that public behavior throws light on the nature of continued on page 32 26 Against the Grain / June 2017
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accessible-archives.com 28 Against theGrain /June2017 Op Ed — Opinions and Editorials I APCs. published on an OA basis are funded by in fact the majority of legitimate articles Reports, andHeliyon, among others, and accepting and publishing articles (rather by revenue its makes journal a if terest: in- of conflict unavoidable an involves it that is model publishing this with scholarly quality, however, the problem Library, UniversityofUtah;Phone:801-721-1687)
colleagues created a fictitious author named lowered, and to which it’s now possible for Op Ed — IMHBCO Dr. Anna O. Szust (oszust is Polish for “a scholars, scientists, and organizations that from page 28 fraud”), gave her a made-up CV consisting could not have done so in the past to make of nonexistent degrees and a make-believe their work freely and easily available to fully p-hacked the resulting data,13 but suffice publishing history, and created an online the public. Of course, that strength is also it to say that any competent (or interested) profile that showed her to a weakness, as the growing editor would probably have seen the problems be, in Pisanski’s words, phenomenon of preda- immediately, and if he or she didn’t see them “dismally inadequate tory publishing makes right off, a diligent peer reviewer would have. for a role as editor.” clear. But another Bohannon submitted the resulting paper to 20 Dr. Szust had no aspect of the ecosys- journals that he suspected of being predators, indexed citations, tem’s strength is the and within 24 hours had an acceptance letter no publications in multitude of ways in from International Archives of Medicine.14 academic journals, which it makes it pos- Two weeks later the article was published, and no editorial ex- sible to shine a light on without any editorial intervention whatsoever perience at all. Anyone who tried to locate the predators and other bad actors. Let’s keep (according to Bohannon, “not a single word informal and non-peer-reviewed publications doing so. Eternal vigilance is, as they say, was changed”). listed on her CV would not have been able to the price of a reliable scholarly record. But the fact that Bohannon was able to get do so, because they didn’t exist. a deeply flawed study published quickly by a Pisanski et al. submitted Szust’s name to questionable journal isn’t the interesting part 360 journals, asking that she be considered as of the story; the interesting part is what came a candidate for their editorial boards. Of those Endnotes next, when the article went viral. journals, 120 — a mix of toll-access and OA 1. http://beallslist.weebly.com Once the article was published, Bohannon titles — were listed in Journal Citation Reports 2. https://debunkingdenialism. composed a press release and started soliciting (JCR), 120 were listed in the Directory of Open com/2017/01/16/what-happened-to- media coverage. He succeeded quickly and Access Journals (DOAJ), and 120 were drawn jeffrey-bealls-list-of-allegedly-predatory- on an international scale: breathless stories from Beall’s list of “potential, possible, or publishers/ on Bohannon’s research findings were pub- probable” predators. 3. https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet. lished in Shape magazine, Bild, the Times of The result? Of the JCR titles, 60% ignored org/2015/08/17/deceptive-publishing-why- India, Express, international editions of the we-need-a-blacklist-and-some-suggestions- the application and 40% rejected it; none on-how-to-do-it-right/#comment-155210 Huffington Post, and other outlets before the accepted it. Of the DOAJ titles, 7% accepted hoax was revealed. Even today, you can see 4. http://triplec.at/index.php/tripleC/article/ Szust’s application, 38% rejected it, and 55% view/525/514 the study still being cited as authoritative on did not respond. As for the suspected predators, diet-and-nutrition websites like Dr. Murray. only 13% rejected her application; just over 5. https://discussingoa.wordpress. 15 16 com/#comments com, Fat Loss for Women, and Ready Set half failed to respond, while fully one-third of 17 Health — and both the Times of India arti- them accepted Szust as an editor outright — 6. http://science.sciencemag.org/ 18 19 content/342/6154/60.full cle and the Express article are still online, four of them appointing her editor in chief. (A with no indication of the fact that the study choice quote from one acceptance notification: 7. http://www.sparc.arl.org/blog/science- on which they’re based was a hoax — despite, “It’s our pleasure to add your name as our magazine-open-access-sting in both cases, reader comments alerting them editor in chief for this journal with no respon- 8. http://oaspa.org/response-to-the-recent- to the fact. sibilities.”) There are additional fascinating article-in-science/ The fact that Bohannon’s second hoax was details about the responses Szust got from the 9. http://bjoern.brembs.net/2013/10/how- amplified and disseminated by the popular questionable journal publishers — Pisanski’s embarrassing-was-the-journal-sting-for- science-magazine/ rather than the scientific press is exactly the report in the journal Nature makes for fasci- point: what this demonstrated was that we nating, if disturbing, reading. 10. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local- news/blinded-by-scientific-gobbledygook can’t assume the impact of predatory pub- What should we make of all this? A few 11. http://retractionwatch.com/2017/04/06/ lishing practices will always be contained to possible conclusions suggest themselves: narrow niches of specialist science. Publish hello-newman-yet-another-sting-pranks-a- predatory-journal-seinfeld-style/ fraudulent “science” in a scam journal on the • For all of its weaknesses and prob- right topic, and (with the help of a credulous lems of administration, the evidence 12. http://io9.gizmodo.com/i-fooled- of this latest sting suggests that millions-into-thinking-chocolate-helps- and ratings-hungry popular media) you may be weight-1707251800 able to mislead millions of people into making Beall’s list was a reasonably reliable poor or even disastrous choices. As troubling source of information about preda- 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_ dredging as predatory publishing is in its implications for tors. the integrity of formally-published science, it is • The DOAJ, even after its recent 14. http://www.intarchmed.com perhaps even more so in its capability to shape tightening of criteria, still certifies 15. http://doctormurray.com/another-study- public understanding of science. as “high quality, peer reviewed Open shows-chocolate-can-help-you-lose-weight- Access research journals” a signifi- and-keep-it-off/ But Bohannon’s chocolate sting left still cant number of journals that do not 16. http://www.fatlossfactorxx.com/eating- unresolved another question, one that had been seem to fit those criteria. chocolate-can-help-you-lose-weight- posed by defensive OA advocates ever since his according-to-study/ first one: given that his experiment (like others • Journals that are indexed in JCR do seem to be markedly more careful 17. http://readysethealth.com/eating- since) only targeted OA publishers, how do we chocolate-can-help-you-lose-weight-really/ know that those publishers are more predatory about whom they accept into edito- than toll-access publishers? How can we be rial positions than (unsurprisingly) 18. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ Beall’s List titles, and (more surpris- life-style/health-fitness/diet/Need-a- certain that subscription journals would have sweeter-way-to-lose-weight-Eat-chocolates/ fared any better when offered nonsense in the ingly) even than DOAJ-certified OA articleshow/46770172.cms journals. guise of science? 19. http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/ A partial answer to that question comes I’m sure we can expect to see more stings health/567211/Chocolate-weight-loss- now, in the form of yet another sting opera- and exposés of varying types as time goes on. lowers-blood-cholesterol-aids-better-sleep tion — this one undertaken by a group led by One of the great advantages of the current 20. http://www.nature.com/news/predatory- Dr. Katarzyna Pisanski, a research fellow at scholarly-communication ecosystem is the journals-recruit-fake-editor-1.21662 the University of Sussex.20 Pisanski and her degree to which barriers to entry have been
Against the Grain / June 2017
ATG: Kent, you’ve had a long and suc- common cause, even though there’s sometimes customer data — denials/turn-aways, full-text cessful career in scientific and scholarly pub- friction in achieving what they both want. usage, abstracts, and so forth. Publishers can lishing and have contributed to the industry Data can help both parties. Libraries can be look across a consortia, or dive in to any cus- more broadly as a past President of SSP and more effective getting administrator attention tomer; look at archival usage and turn-aways; the founder and former editor-in-chief of with data showing demand, usage, and value. look at accounts in a certain country before a Scholarly Kitchen. What led you to take the Publishers can be more effective using data trip; see across their business where usage is helm of a start-up like RedLink? revealing what’s working and what’s not up or down; let sales agents access data for KA: Great question. RedLink represents working. Then, we have RedLink Network, specific customers or territories; and analyze an amplification of a thread that’s run through- which is where publishers and librarians can trends in cost-per-download. Library Dash- out my professional life — digital business and collaborate to ensure that access credentials and board has similar functionality, but geared for innovation — while also complementing my professional connections are current. This is a library needs. So, library users can see usage, generalist nature. I came up through editorial free service, and RedLink Network is run as a cost-per-download, turn-away, and other data and design work, but have gained marketing, fi- public benefit corporation. by publisher, title, or bundle. We handle da- nance, strategy, and product development skills ATG: One of your cornerstone services is tabases, journals, eBooks, and bundles. Users along the way. Plus, I’ve always been pushing the RedLink Network which is now offered for can compare usage of a title by vendor — so, to do something new in every role, whether free to both librarians and publishers. What is Title A more heavily used in Database A, it was early online CME, early e-publishing advantages does it offer librarians? Publish- directly as a Journal, or in Database B? Con- experiments, new services like supplemental ers? Why should they want to become part sortia can look across their member libraries, PowerPoint slides, podcasts, or video articles, of the network? and dive in for detailed comparisons. Trends or initiatives like the Scholarly Kitchen. One KA: RedLink Network is designed to across the entire collection are easy to see, of the enticing aspects of running a start-up was make it easy for libraries to broadcast changes and then you can dive in with a click. Reports that I’d have a wider opportunity to bring my to their IP addresses or other access credentials, in either system can be saved by clicking our generalist bent to the game, while being able to and for publishers to accept these while the “pin” feature, and any chart can be downloaded innovate on multiple fronts. In fact, innovation software lets both parties know the status of as an image, PDF, or data. of some kind is required almost daily. the updates. Too many times, updates don’t get ATG: What unique data do they provide ATG: On your website, you say that shared with all the affected parties, and libraries that are not available elsewhere? RedLink’s mission and purpose is to help don’t know if their changes have been taken KA: Our Dashboards provide useful views people see what they’re missing. What does up. This applies to link resolvers, Shibboleth, of the data in and across the systems publishers that mean exactly? and branding updates, as well. Beyond this, and libraries use. We can process vast amounts KA: “See what you’re missing” can mean RedLink Network lets consortia organize of data very quickly, so our displays are snappy, a lot of things, which is part of why I picked and share data, gives libraries a single place while also being designed to be easy to under- the slogan. We develop services that show to store their COUNTER reports and SUSHI stand. My experience having watched many you data and connections. These services credentials, and creates a secure (two-step people interact with our Dashboards is that reveal the signals in the data so they’re easy to authentication, 256-bit SSL, etc.) environment while the data sources are familiar, the combi- understand and use. The most basic examples for these credentials. nations and intuitive displays we provide make are our Dashboards, which bring customer and ATG: It sounds like there might even- it all feel much more accessible and usable. usage data together in ways sales and manage- tually be a fee to register and be part of the ATG: We understand that data from the ment teams can use 24/7 without more than a RedLink Network. Is that part of your future Library Dashboard enables librarians to 5-minute orientation. Beyond that, we have a business plan? make more informed spending and collection service called SiteLeads which lets publishers KA: No. We intend to run RedLink Net- decisions. Can you give us specific examples see the demand behind turn-away data for work as a free service. It benefits RedLink as to how that works? customers they don’t have, putting it in context indirectly to have clean IP data shared across KA: Certainly. By making data easier to over time. At another level, we have Remarq, the ecosystem. Right now, our Dashboard and see and use, we think Library Dashboard lets which lets users see one another, see and share other products suffer the same ills as access professionals make more decisions with more articles with annotations and comments and systems with out-of-sync credentials — we confidence. Adding cost-per-download helps, reviews, and see author and editor updates and see unwarranted denials, or diminished usage but it’s not the full story. Trends by discipline, discussions. Then, there’s the meaning relevant in the data we process for our customers. We’d usage over time, and comparisons across sourc- to RedLink itself, in that our technology is like to have data based on perfect or nearly es all help to inform decisions that really only current and high-performance, so you should perfect access credentials. If usage data are the library professional can make. Decisions see what you’re missing. cleaner because there aren’t technical issues are highly contextualized, and our displays pro- ATG: You also say that RedLink services or mistakes, our customers have better insights vide more context faster and in ways that make enable customers to “save time and stream- and everyone is happier. Plus, it just makes our sense. Later this year, we will be introducing line their collaborations.” How so? Which engineers crazy to think people are still doing upgrades to the decision-making toolset, with collaborations? this by hand. It’s not efficient. some data-driven recommendations to help KA: We focus on professional collabora- ATG: You also have a couple of subscrip- further inform choices. tions, whether those are business-to-business tion products, the Library Dashboard and ATG: We also understand that the data collaborations between, for example, libraries the Publishers Dashboard. Can you tell us available via the Publishers Dashboard helps and publishers, or peer-to-peer between re- about them? publishers retain customers and drive new searchers or practitioners. Our view of the KA: Sure. Our Publisher Dashboard prod- sales. Again, can you give us some specifics? library-publisher relationship is that both are uct is designed to let sales and management And how does this data differ from that pro- really devoted to serving the end-user, so have a teams quickly get insights into their usage and continued on page 32
30 Against the Grain / June 2017
SPIEDigitalLibrary.org
Powered by photonics SiteLeads uses Publisher Dashboard data to counsel, and ensure they comport with various Interview — Kent Anderson put data about new leads into context, but the regulations and expectations. Running a data from page 30 data from SiteLeads represents a new source company is really code for running a privacy of information about the market. So far the and security company. We know that. vided by the RedLink SiteLeads service that publishers who have signed on love it. The ATG: We understand that new products is also intended to assist with sales efforts? new leads generated either point to otherwise are under development. Can you give us a KA: Sales and management teams at unknown opportunities, or provide real evi- heads-up and tell us what the market can publishers often have to go through IT or dence of potential usage to prospects that are expect from RedLink in the future? analytics staff to get reports. This can be a on the fence. KA: The most exciting new product just slow process, and often the reports don’t quite ATG: What should librarians and pub- rolling out now is Remarq. This is designed hit the mark. We’ve even spoken to sales and lishers expect to pay for subscriptions to to give researchers, authors, editors, and marketing teams at large, well-established pub- these services? practitioners convenient tools to collaborate, lishers with dedicated analytics departments annotate, and share articles, all without chang- who experience delays when requesting a KA: Our goal is to have wide adoption ing their workflows by drawing them away customized report. For salespeople out in the across the industry, so our prices are afford- from the journals and online content they field or third-party agents, this is especially able. Generally, a library will pay a one-time know and trust. Players like ResearchGate and challenging. Publisher Dashboard puts all setup fee and then a low annual subscription Academia.edu have tried to draw researchers the vital reporting in a secure Web app that’s fee of a few thousand dollars. We have some away into their “walled gardens,” but we feel available 24/7, with the ability to give limited different pricing based on library type and the better solution is to bring the tools to the access to certain sales people. For instance, whether it’s part of a consortia. For publish- users, not the other way around. maybe the agents in Asia just have access to ers, we differentiate between non-profit and data from customers in Japan, China, and South commercial publishers, but it’s essentially the Beyond this, we have other things in the Korea. This all has a few positive effects on same approach — a one-time setup fee, and works, but nothing I’m ready to talk about yet. retaining customers and acquiring new ones. then a low annual subscription. SiteLeads ATG: Kent, if you were conducting First, sales people can take customers through works a little differently, because we sell bun- this interview what question would you ask the usage data “live” and show them how de- dles of “unlocks” on top of the subscription, yourself? mand has increased, costs have changed, and so but again, the goal is to make the investment level manageable. KA: I’d want to know how a former pub- forth. Second, if sales agents halfway around lisher is doing with the library market. And, I the world have access to the data, they can be ATG: Privacy is always a concern with have to say, it’s going pretty well. I’ve always selling while the home office rests, making the data collection. What steps does RedLink felt that we both serve a common customer, entire operation more efficient. take to ensure librarian and publisher privacy and the vantage point I have now at RedLink SiteLeads is a unique service that takes is protected? makes this even clearer, while giving me direct publishers beyond the customers they have, and KA: Privacy and security are interrelated ways to realize this perspective. The library helps them identify and contextualize institu- issues, both of which we take seriously. We community has been nothing but generous in tions generating demand. It uses proprietary use two-step authentication across our product its reception. I think there is a lot of interest in technology to quickly and precisely identify suite, 256-bit SSL, secure facilities, and other market innovations, and that our commitment unmet demand for a publisher’s content, and techniques to ensure top-shelf security. As to doing a good job and finding solutions helps puts it into the context of their current customer for privacy, which is also a policy issue, we reassure people that we’re serious. base, so they know how good a lead might be. review our privacy policies regularly with our
Got a nice note from the awesome David Wor- Booklover Rumors lock via Anthony Watkinson and Becky Lenzini from page 26 from page 16 about the publication of the latest volume of Liber Quarterly which marks the retirement of Pat Man- as many concerts as practical. This highest honors.” The Webby Awards lauded the son who has made a huge contribution to Library chapter twisted my thinking in a whole Internet Archive for being “the web’s most knowl- and Information work in Europe! Congratulations! new direction. With Spoleto just around edgeable historian.” Perhaps the greatest honor of https://www.liberquarterly.eu/586/volume/26/ the corner, I will be observing the con- the evening came in the form of a video narrated issue/4/ ductors in a whole new light. by Open Knowledge champion, Lawrence Les- Canetti was born in Ruse, Bulgaria sig. He said, “Creativity and innovation built on I understand that many of the Fiesole Retreat to Jewish parents in 1905. The family the past. The Internet Archive is the foundation speakers have papers in the above-referenced issue moved to Britain prior to the sudden preserving that past, so that perhaps, one can at of Liber Quarterly. I was so sorry to have to miss death of his father, after which his moth- least hope that our children and their children can Fiesole in Lille which I heard from Leah Hinds er moved them to Vienna, then Zurich, shape a future that knows our joys and learns from and others was spectacular for content and tour- and finally Frankfurt where Canetti our many mistakes.” The award was presented by ism! There are several reports on Fiesole Lille in graduated from high school. Nancy Lublin, CEO of the Crisis Text Line and this issue of ATG which will be mailed shortly as well as posted on the ATG NewsChannel. Leah’s He returned to Vienna and obtained DoSomething.org, who pointed out that in this chaotic political year, the Internet Archive has report will be posted online shortly as well. Many a degree in chemistry from the Univer- of the papers from the Fiesole Retreat are loaded sity of Vienna, but never worked as a saved “200 terabytes of government data that could have otherwise been lost in the transition from blue on the Casalini website. Visit http://www.casalini. chemist. He had discovered the worlds it/retreat/retreat_2017.html. of philosophy and literature and that light saber to red light saber.” set him on the path that led to his 1981 And, listen up! Brewster Kahle, the founder https://www.liberquarterly.eu/586/volume/26/ Nobel “for writings marked by a broad and Digital Librarian of the Internet Archive issue/4/ outlook, a wealth of ideas and artistic will be our keynote speaker at the 2017 Charles- We met many years ago in Fiesole, Italy, when power.” ton Conference and the Conference thanks the she as working for Casalini Libri and later at indefatigable Ann Okerson for arranging this! Ithaka. And the vivacious Çolleen Campbell http://blog.archive.org/2017/05/16/and-the-web- has a new position as Partner Development in the by-award-for-lifetime-achievement-goes-to/ Open Access 2020 Initiative at the Max Planck http://www.charlestonlibraryconference.com/ continued on page 42 32 Against the Grain / June 2017
he arrangement for newly received books (this book offers no help in determining a to collect New Yorker authors. Here he does at my public library is straightforward, first edition, the misleading story of Alice in show some sense and narrows the field to Tfiction on one side and non-fiction on Wonderland notwithstanding) and then about those writers he reads and likes. Finally, his the other. I start with the fiction even though I signed and inscribed copies. correspondents are educating Larry along their almost never find anything of interest save for My take on Larry is that he had more mon- own biases and inclinations. the occasional Library of America volumes. ey than sense, he read very little despite having Larry learns about bibliographies but I recognize the usual suspects from the New a literate and presumably literary grandfather seems to have used only a couple. He is York Times bestseller lists and am ready to who knew, at least in the epistolary sense, never introduced, beyond what is in the bibli- move to the other side when a title catches my gifted Victorian novelists. To be ographies, about the perils of eye — Bibliophilia (by N. John Hall, David able to correspond with such lit- identifying true first editions R. Godine, 2016). I take it from the shelf and erary giants suggests a love and beyond a discussion of Al- open it randomly. It’s an epistolary novel and deep understanding of their ice in Wonderland, a good not a good sign. But wait, it is not just a series works or a desire to learn beginning if followed by of letters, they are all email letters. Despite the more about their creative more examples. intriguing title, I put the book back on the shelf processes. I get no sense Larry, over a year or and continue my usual routine. that Larry really loves more of confusion, is told The next day, I was back. How could I not Trollope but he wants to that autographed, or better, read a novel called Bibliophilia? I am glad collect books and why inscribed, copies of first edi- that I did. It’s an interesting book on several not Trollope. Why not tions are worth more and those levels. Saying that it is interesting is damning indeed! with dust jackets and inscriptions it with faint praise but what frustrated me about Larry lives in New York City. New York increase in value by factors of five or ten. He the book is also what held my interest. And City where there are still a number of good finds a bookseller, the one who bought the although it is pitched as a novel, it is a kind book shops including antiquarian dealers cache of Victorian letters, who specializes in of mystery novel, too, in that there are clues who are knowledgeable about rare books and autographs and is willing to let Larry trade dropped early on that allowed me to guess how fine literature. Larry seems never to have in his uninscribed books, at full value, for the it would end, at least in part. “I could have told visited them and even after he decides he much more expensive signed copies. you so,” I wanted to shout. wants to collect books, he writes to a friend Is Larry a successful collector in the end? As a novel, Bibliophilia is not very good. in London for advice instead of visiting local I would say no for several reasons. Does Pock- There are novelists who teach in order to make bookshops where he could have learned a lot etful of Money Larry get his just desserts? At money but most professors of English are just by browsing and even more by engaging least partly and depending on whether you like not novelists and if they were, they probably the owners. Larry or not. wouldn’t be any better than Prof. Hall. His Larry buys several Victorian novels, As a primer on book collecting, I might approach, a series of letters among a novice three-deckers, before learning that some are assign a grade of C minus if I were feeling book collector and seasoned collectors and not first editions, despite high prices. One generous. As a cautionary tale, I might move booksellers is a clever way of talking about of the authors, however, was inexpensive but it up to a C if I knew that anyone reading the one’s favorite and not so favorite authors and also unknown. The late advice that Larry got entire book would consider all the mistakes that books and to explain several facets of book about her was that because she was unknown, Larry made and would patch them together collecting. As the Kirkus reviewer succinctly her books were not ever going to be worth into a coherent quilt. stated, “A how-to guide disguised in a dispos- much, that is, they would not go up in value. able novelistic setting.” Aside from learning which books and writer Larry and his collaborators, while later on the author of Bibliophilia, likes and dislikes, If read carefully and thoughtfully, Biblio- acknowledging that it takes a few years for a through Larry, what lessons should the reader philia seems like a good introduction to the book’s value to increase, really saw Larry’s take to heart? perils of book collecting but an annotated purchases as investments, something that I version would provide more thorough advice doubt Larry’s grandfather considered when • Collect what you love, not what that would not be the misleading tale that un- corresponding with the famous writers. And it might make you a profit later on; folds in the book. seems strange that Larry’s grandfather would • Do some research about your author After selling a collection of letters between not have owned the works, in first and other or subject using the Internet and his grandfather and several famous Victorian important editions, when they could have been websites such as Abebooks.com; novelists, including Anthony Trollope, for purchased at retail prices. That would have • Look for and consult bibliographies; saved Larry some embarrassment and money, $400,000, Larry, for that is our rookie’s • Visit and introduce yourself in local too, for he would have inherited a collection name, decides, seemingly out of the blue, to bookshops within driving distance; that he could have admired and maybe, on become a book collector. He is in his late • Visit the rare books or special col- 60s, as I remember, retired, and living in some rainy day, read some of the books that he didn’t know. lections department of a university New York City. He seems not to be intel- library in your area; lectually curious and isn’t even acquainted And as for the unknown Victorian novelist, with The New Yorker Magazine until one of after spending good money on her book, he • Decide how much you can afford in his correspondents tells him about it. He has never read it or tried, as far as I can tell, to relation to the low and high ends of read and liked Trollope. He has also read find out if she had written other novels. If he what you want to collect so that you some Dickens and Hardy. His first impulse liked her writing and there was more to be had, can buy at each end as necessary to is to collect all of the works by Trollope but why not collect her comprehensively? But, as complete your collection; to do so, he would need more than a measly you will see for yourself if you decide to read • When dealing in high(er) end pur- 400 grand. So with some reasonable advice, Bibliophilia, Larry is continually steered to chases, choose a bookseller who he switches to a select few Victorian authors famous, if not popular, writers. belongs to ABA, AABA, or other but even with only 400,000 clams, he is still After he is introduced to The New York- such organizations with stated eth- restricted in what he can collect. As he nar- er, he finagles a tour of its offices through a ical values and rules; rows his field, he learns about first editions friend. He is star struck and accepts the advice continued on page 36
Against the Grain / June 2017
Column Editor’s Note: The “Collecting a journal of book reviews called the News of brief because “I already have more copy than to the Core” column highlights monographic the Republic of Letters, which brought him into one is required to complete this volume.”7 His works that are essential to the academic li- contact with many of the most important think- brief note then goes on for several pages and brary within a particular discipline, inspired ers of the period. During this hundreds of words. Bayle’s by the Resources for College Libraries bib- time, he was also writing writing can also be somewhat liography (online at http://www.rclweb.net). short works largely argu- risqué. At numerous points, In each essay, subject specialists introduce ing for religious tolerance, he discusses prostitutes, and explain the classic titles and topics that which led to condemnation sex, excessive drinking, etc. continue to remain relevant to the undergrad- by French religious author- These bawdy descriptions uate curriculum and library collection. Dis- ities and may have resulted and stories got him into some ciplinary trends may shift, but some classics in the imprisonment and trouble with the local reli- never go out of style. — AD eventual death of his broth- gious authorities, and in the er Jacob — an event that second edition of the work he profoundly affected Bayle. issued four “Clarifications,” he field of philosophy benefits from a Drawing on an extensive one of which addresses the rich body of reference works, both online knowledge of the thought work’s obscenities (the oth- and in print. While in graduate school and writings of many of his ers address more philosoph- T ical and theological topics studying philosophy, the Routledge Encyclope- European contemporaries, dia of Philosophy, then available only in print, Bayle began publishing his Historical and such as his position on atheists, the problem was an invaluable resource for me, providing Critical Dictionary in 1697. The work was of evil, and skepticism). critical details of a philosopher’s positions an immediate success, and it established his The complete Dictionary was translated or a brief overview of an unfamiliar theory.1 reputation across Europe. Upon its comple- into English in the 1730s in a five-volume Newer, online reference works such as the tion, he began work on a second edition, and work by Pierre Desmaizeaux, but the best Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the he continued to work on the Dictionary and to contemporary translation is Richard Popkin’s Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy are excel- engage in written debates with contemporaries Historical and Critical Dictionary: Selec- lent sources of philosophical information and until his death in 1706. tions.8-9 Popkin does an admirable job using heralded as leading examples of authoritative To say that the Historical and Critical different font sizes and text placement, as well 2-3 information on the internet. Yet their acclaim Dictionary is a unique reference work is an as ellipses and marks, to help guide the reader and reach pales in comparison to a much older understatement. Ostensibly, the work provides through Bayle’s writing in a standard-sized philosophical reference work. Pierre Bayle’s information on individuals of significance. volume. He also provides his own comments Historical and Critical Dictionary was one The entries range from Old Testament figures to clarify points for the reader or to explain of the most popular works of the 1700s, and (David) to Greek gods (Jupiter), and from ma- references to entries that are not included in was found in “more private libraries than any jor philosophers (Spinoza) to minor thinkers his selections. By Popkin’s own admission, 4 other single work in the century.” While who are completely unknown today (Giacomo much was left out during the selection process, today it is rarely known outside of specialists Bonfadius). However, the choice of entries but he focuses on entries that are of particular in early modern philosophy, i.e., European is seemingly haphazard and there are some philosophical importance or that were espe- philosophy of the 17th century, it was read by surprising omissions; for example, there is no cially controversial. Popkin’s translation also contemporaries such as Gottfried Wilhelm entry on Plato, but, here again, a historical includes the four “Clarifications” and a useful Leibniz and John Locke, it influenced later analysis is helpful. A quarter century before the index of names. philosophers like Bishop George Berkeley Dictionary, a Catholic priest from Lyon named There are many famous, and in some cases and David Hume, and it was well regarded Moréri had published a Historical Dictionary. infamous, entries in the Dictionary such as outside of philosophical circles by the likes of Bayle considered his Critical Dictionary an ex- “Manicheans,” “Pyrrho,” and “Spinoza,” Thomas Jefferson, Herman Melville, and tension of this work, thus there was no need for but looking more closely at the “Rorarius” Voltaire. This essay asserts that Bayle’s His- entries on topics that Bayle thought had been entry gives us a better sense of Bayle’s style torical and Critical Dictionary is a philosoph- sufficiently covered by Moréri.5 While the and approach. As he explains, Hieronymus ical reference work with continuing relevance entries in Bayle’s work are relatively succinct, Rorarius was a nuncio of Pope Clement VII not only because it brings readers into contact each one includes extensive footnotes and in who wrote a book on the rationality of animals with many of the major figures and theories of some cases footnotes to the footnotes that often that “deserves to be read.”10 After a relatively the time, but also because it is an exemplar of wander broadly from the original subject mat- short and straightforward entry on Rorarius, philosophical inquiry. ter. In fact, as much as 95 percent of the more Bayle launches into several long footnotes dis- To fully understand his Dictionary, it is than 6-million word text may be found in these cussing René Descartes’s position that animals worthwhile briefly considering Bayle’s bi- footnotes.6 The work was originally presented are machines devoid of souls and without the ography, since the details of his life strongly in a folio format, which allowed the entry and capacity to think. Bayle canvasses Descartes’s influenced the direction of his thought. Pierre notes to be displayed on one page. The writing position and then raises numerous objections, Bayle was born in 1647 in Southern France. is surprisingly conversational, often verbose, many of which involve stories of animals Born a Huguenot (French Protestant), his fam- and is, at times, quite humorous. For example, acting intelligently that he had read and heard. ily was subject to persecution by the Catholic in his entry on “Takiddin” (Ibn Taymiyyah, a This subsequently leads to a discussion of the majority. He fled France as a young man and medieval Muslim theologian), “a Mohammed- views of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and his eventually settled in Rotterdam, where he spent an author,” in the note he explains that while a theory of the pre-established harmony, or the the remainder of his life in the relative toler- lot could be said about the topic of introducing idea that the mind and body do not interact, ance of Holland. In the 1680s, Bayle edited “philosophical studies” into religion, he will be continued on page 36
34 Against the Grain / June 2017
and major issues in metaphysics (mind-body for those interested in the history of philosophy, Collecting to the Core dualism, causation, and mechanism), with the but the Dictionary’s value for students — es- from page 34 hope of arriving at a “satisfying interpretation pecially undergraduate students — lies in the of Bayle’s thought as a whole.”17 Walter Rex’s strength of Bayle’s arguments, his wit, and the but have been set in perfect alignment by God. Essays on Pierre Bayle and Religious Contro- approachable style of his writing.20 His method Bayle provides eight numbered objections to versy focuses on Bayle’s views on religion and of taking arguments on their own terms and the theory, each of which is several paragraphs examines three of his writings, including the then examining them from within is a model in length, yet he concludes with his typical controversial Dictionary entry on David.18 Fi- of clear philosophical thinking. It was for this good humor and says that he is convinced that nally, Ruth Whelan takes a historical approach reason that Voltaire called him the “greatest Leibniz will “smooth out the rough places in in The Anatomy of Superstition: A Study of the dialectician who has ever written.”21 Those his theory” because “no one is able to travel Historical Theory and Practice of Pierre Bayle, looking for a traditional reference work that more usefully or more surely in the intelligible and seeks to understand Bayle by situating provides concise entries on all the well-known world than he.”11 him in the context of the theories and writers thinkers of Bayle’s time will perhaps leave Bayle’s arguments and criticisms in the to whom he was responding.19 disappointed, but readers wishing to observe Dictionary did not go unnoticed by those whom Ultimately, working to resolve the so-called a great mind in action will undoubtedly be im- he discussed. For example, Bayle’s comments “Bayle enigma” and discern Bayle’s true phil- pressed and will delight in exploring this truly in “Rorarius” as well as in other entries dis- osophical positions (or if they even exist) is a unique historical reference work. cussing the problem of evil, i.e., the question noble pursuit for professional philosophers and of how an omniscient and omnibenevolent God could allow for evil in the world, prompted a response from Leibniz in his Theodicy, the Endnotes only philosophical work published during his 1. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Edited by Edward Craig. London: Routledge, 1998.* 12 lifetime. Bayle also influenced future genera- 2. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Edited by Edward N. Zalta. https://plato.stanford. tions of philosophers. David Hume shared his edu.* skepticism about the limits of reason, and his 3. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://www.iep.utm.edu.* depiction of the distinction between primary 4. Rex, Walter. Essays on Pierre Bayle and Religious Controversy. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, and secondary qualities was taken up by both 1965, X. Hume and Bishop George Berkeley. 5. Labrousse, Elisabeth. Bayle. Translated by Denys Potts. Oxford: Oxford University Press, One of the most fascinating things about 1983, 40. Bayle as a philosopher is that even though 6. Lennon, Thomas M., and Michael Hickson. “Pierre Bayle.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philos- he introduced a lot of himself in his Dictio- ophy. Accessed January 26, 2017. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/bayle/. nary, discerning his actual philosophical and 7. Bayle, Pierre. Historical and Critical Dictionary: Selections. Translated and edited by Richard theological positions is notoriously difficult. Popkin. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1991, 339.* At various points, he has been described 8. Bayle, Pierre. The Dictionary, Historical and Critical, of Mr. Peter Bayle. 2nd ed. 5 vols. as an atheist, a skeptic, a secret adherent to Translated and edited by Pierre Desmaizeaux. London: J.J. and P. Knapton, 1734-1738. Judaism, and a fideist, i.e., one who thinks Facsimile, London: Routledge, 1997. that faith is incompatible with reason. En- 9. Bayle, Historical. lightenment thinkers saw him as an early ally 10. Ibid., 213. who provided an “arsenal” of arguments that 11. Ibid., 254. they could use against theologians and other 12. Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm. Theodicy: Essays on the Goodness of God, the Freedom of Man, traditional thinkers. Bayle described himself and the Origin of Evil. Edited by Austin Farrer. Translated by E.M. Huggard. La Salle: Open as a historian comparing arguments “for and Court, 1985.* Originally published: London : Routledge & Keagan Paul, 1951. against something, with all the impartiality of 13. Bayle, Historical, 396. a faithful reporter,” which perhaps indicates 14. Labrousse, Bayle. that he didn’t see himself as taking a position 15. Popkin, Richard. The History of Skepticism: From Savonarola to Bayle. Revised and expanded on these topics at all.13 edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003, 288-290.* For the reader looking to learn more about 16. Lennon, Thomas M. Reading Bayle. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999. Bayle and his thought there are several op- 17. Ryan, Todd. Pierre Bayle’s Cartesian Metaphysics: Rediscovering Early Modern Philosophy. tions. Elisabeth Labrousse is a major figure New York: Routledge, 2009, 5. in 20th-century Bayle scholarship, and while 18. Rex, Essays. the serious scholar would be advised to consult 19. Whelan, Ruth. The Anatomy of Superstition: A Study of the Historical Theory and Practice her two-volume French work, her brief and of Pierre Bayle. Oxford: The Voltaire Foundation, 1989. accessible Bayle is highly recommended.14 20. Lennon and Hickson, “Pierre Bayle.” Labrousse provides an overview of Bayle’s 21. Gottlieb, Anthony. The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy. New York: life and argues that as a philosopher he was far Livelight Publishing Corporation, 2016, 156. more interested in understanding other theories *Editor’s note: An asterisk (*) denotes a title selected for Resources for College Libraries. than expounding his own. Richard Popkin’s The History of Scepticism: From Savonarola to Bayle presents Bayle as a skeptic whose tactic was to “analyze and dissolve any theory on its own terms,” all with the ultimate goal of finding the limits of reason.15 Thomas M. Oregon Trails was content to assemble collections that he could show off to friends and other collectors. Lennon’s Reading Bayle is a wide-ranging from page 33 investigation of Bayle’s thought structured If that is your goal, then by all means go that around concepts like “integrity,” “toleration,” way but remember that it is possible, and I think • Don’t buy impulsively; and “providence.”16 Todd Ryan’s Pierre desirable, to do both and when you show your Bayle’s Cartesian Metaphysics: Rediscovering • Learn many “rules” about book-col- collection(s) to friends and other collectors, Early Modern Philosophy focuses on Bayle’s lecting so that you can be confident your passion will shine and your audience will views on metaphysics and looks at Bayle when you choose to break them. bask in your light. in relation to major philosophical thinkers Poor Larry. I don’t think that he ever got (Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, and Spinoza) real pleasure out of his collecting. Instead, he
36 Against the Grain / June 2017
Column Editor’s Note: Summer is upon us once again and for have been made and implemented, there is ongoing support to ensure those of you like me who work throughout the summer, it’s a time that the process can be scaled and is sustainable. With this step also where we finish off projects, do our research writing, or prepare for comes evaluation. the coming academic year. For us here in Michigan, where it seems Part three of Library Improvement Through Data Analytics moves summer is way too short, I look forward to making the most of it just into the practical aspects of working with project data. After Farmer hanging out with family and friends and travelling. Of course, June and Safer have gone over the Six Sigma process, they begin to get into is the time for the ALA Annual Conference and this time, it goes back working with the data collected. Starting with cleaning the data, and to Chicago again. providing examples and ways of doing so, they deliver examples and Anyway, since this is our ALA Annual issue, we have all ALA figures to illustrate this process. After data clean up, statistics enter the publications (except for one) that we are reviewing in this column. equation. If chapter eight is on cleaning up the data, then chapter nine ALA Publishing is a vital part of ALA and ALA Editions continues to focuses on how to use it. Ideally the data is used to answer questions be the leading publisher for us in the library and information services or test hypotheses. community. I hope you consider buying these books for your library There are numerous ways to analyze data and Farmer and Safer or even for your own personal use. go into details on various types of research techniques pertaining to If you enjoy reading and wouldn’t mind reviewing a book or two, this subject. Based on the research goal of the project, there are many contact me at
Against the Grain / June 2017
Reviewed by Frances Krempasky (Electronic Resources Management Librarian, Lansing Community College Library) Suber, Peter. Knowledge Unbound: Selected Writings on
Libraries, much like other organizations and businesses, are enthusi- Reviewed by Steve Sowards (Associate Director for Collections, astically embracing social media to promote their programs and services Michigan State University Libraries)
38 Against the Grain / June 2017
1. Introduction to Linear Algebra, Fifth Edition 10. Mathematical Models in Biology 19. Mathematics of Social Choice: Gilbert Strang Leah Edelstein-Keshet Voting, Compensation, and Division 2016 • x + 574 pages • Hard • 978-0-9802327-7-6 2005 • xliii + 586 pages • Soft • 978-0-898715-54-5 Christoph Börgers List $95.00 • SIAM Members $66.50 • WC14 List $66.50 • SIAM Members $46.55 • CL46 2010 • xii + 245 pages • Soft • 978-0-898716-95-5 (Includes sales of Introduction to Linear Algebra, List $41.00 • SIAM Members $28.70 • OT119 Fourth Edition, which is now out of print) 11. Approximation Theory and Approximation Practice 20. Matrix Analysis for Scientists and Engineers 2. Numerical Linear Algebra Lloyd N. Trefethen Alan J. Laub Lloyd N. Trefethen and David Bau III 2012 • viii + 305 pages • Soft • 978-1-611972-39-9 2005 • xiv + 157 pages • Soft • 978-0-898715-76-7 1997 • xii + 361 pages • Soft • 978-0-898713-61-9 List $53.50 • SIAM Members $37.45 • OT128 List $50.00 • SIAM Members $35.00 • OT91 List $69.50 • SIAM Members $48.65 • OT50 12. Learning LaTeX, Second Edition 21. Computational Science and Engineering 3. Differential Equations and Linear Algebra David F. Griffiths and Desmond J. Higham Gilbert Strang Gilbert Strang 2016 • x + 103 pages • Soft • 978-1-611974-41-6 2007 • xii + 713 pages • Hard • 978-0-961408-81-7 2014 • 512 pages • Hard • 978-0980232790 List $29.00 • SIAM Members $20.30 • OT148 List $90.00 • SIAM Members $63.00 • WC07 List $87.50 • SIAM Members $61.25 • WC13 (Includes sales of the first edition of Learning LaTeX, which is now out of print.) 22. Dynamic Mode Decomposition: 4. Uncertainty Quantification: Theory, Data-Driven Modeling of Complex Systems Implementation, and Applications 13. Introduction to Nonlinear Optimization: J. Nathan Kutz, Steven L. Brunton, Ralph C. Smith Theory, Algorithms, and Applications Bingni W. Brunton, and Joshua L. Proctor 2014 • xviii + 382 pages • Hard • 978-1-611973-21-1 with MATLAB 2016 • xvi + 234 pages • Soft • 978-1-611974-49-2 List $76.50 • SIAM Members $53.55 • CS12 Amir Beck List $69.00 • SIAM Members $48.30 • OT149 2014 • xii + 282 pages • Soft • 978-1-611973-64-8 5. A First Course in Numerical Methods List $92.00 • SIAM Members $64.40 • MO19 23. Linear and Nonlinear Functional Analysis Uri Ascher and Chen Greif with Applications 2011 • xxii + 552 pages • Soft • 978-0-89871-97-0 14. Insight Through Computing: A MATLAB Philippe G. Ciarlet List $101.00 • SIAM Members $70.70 • CS07 Introduction to Computational Science 2013 • xiv + 832 pages • Hard • 978-1-611972-58-0 and Engineering List $101.00 • SIAM Members $70.70 • OT130 6. Matrix Analysis and Applied Linear Algebra Charles F. Van Loan and K.-Y. Daisy Fan Carl D. Meyer 2009 • xviii + 434 pages • Soft • 978-0-898716-91-7 24. Linear and Nonlinear Optimization, 2000 • xii + 718 pages • Hard • 978-0-898714-54-8 List $65.50 • SIAM Members $45.85 • OT117 Second Edition List $110.00 • SIAM Members $77.00 • OT71 Igor Griva, Stephen G. Nash, and Ariela Sofer 15. Vehicle Routing: Problems, Methods, 2008 • xxii + 742 pages • Hard • 978-0-898716-61-0 7. Finite Difference Methods for Ordinary and Applications, Second Edition List $108.00 • SIAM Members $75.60 • OT108 and Partial Differential Equations: Steady- Paolo Toth and Daniele Vigo State and Time-Dependent Problems 2015 • xviii + 463 pages • Soft • 978-1-611973-58-7 25. Phylogeny: Discrete and Random Processes Randall J. LeVeque List $119.00 • SIAM Members $83.30 • MO18 in Evolution 2007 • xvi + 341 pages • Soft • 978-0-898716-29-0 Mike Steel List $72.00 • SIAM Members $50.40 • OT98 16. Ordinary Differential Equations and 2016 • xii + 297 pages • Soft • 978-1-611974-47-8 Linear Algebra: A Systems Approach List $64.00 • SIAM Members $44.80 • CB89 8. Handbook of Writing for the Mathematical Todd Kapitula Sciences, Second Edition 2015 • xii + 300 pages • Soft • 978-1-611974-08-9 *SIAM’s bestselling titles for the 12 months ended Nicholas J. Higham List $79.00 • SIAM Members $55.30 • OT145 January 31, 2017. Sales are from all sources, including 1998 • xvi + 302 pages • Soft • 978-0-898714-20-3 SIAM, online retailers, and SIAM’s distribution partners. List $64.50 • SIAM Members $45.15 17. Mathematics and Climate Students $27.50 • OT63 Hans Kaper and Hans Engler 2013 • xx + 295 pages • Soft • 978-1-611972-60-3 9. MATLAB Guide, Third Edition List $61.50 • SIAM Members $43.05 • OT131 Desmond J. Higham and Nicholas J. Higham 2017 • xxvi + 476 pages • Hard • 978-1-611974-65-2 18. Game Theory with Engineering Applications List $62.00 • SIAM Members $43.40 • OT150 Dario Bauso (Includes sales of MATLAB Guide, Second Edition, 2016 • xxiv + 292 pages • Soft • 978-1-611974-27-0 which is now out of print.) List $82.50 • SIAM Members $57.75 • DC30 All prices are in US dollars. To purchase SIAM books, contact SIAM Customer Service: phone +1-215-382-9800 / fax +1-215-386-7999 / 3600 Market Street, 6th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2688. Customers outside North America can order through the Eurospan Group at Eurospanbookstore.com/siam.
For general information, go to www.siam.org. 4/17 searching. The frequent URLs do not display as clickable hot links, and Book Reviews in fact, many of those links are no longer valid. The URLs have not from page 38 been checked, updated or modified, and some of them lead to dead ends. This book accompanies the same author’s Open Access (MIT Press, can be dense, and in part because it is rewarding to bump up against 2012), which operates as more of a purpose-built handbook to the topic. Suber’s sharp and sometimes unexpected insights. A brief glossary defines ten core terms. These include not only the The selected pieces date from 2002 to 2011, and especially 2004 difference between “green” and “gold” OA reflecting the choice between to 2008. This was the crucial era of the Budapest Open Access Ini- repositories and journals, but also “gratis” and “libre” OA reflecting the tiative, the first Creative Commons licenses, the appearance of the presence or absence of fees and limits based on licenses or copyright. Directory of Open Access Journals, the launch of new publishers like The index helpfully uncovers concepts that are scattered across the PLOS, and intense debates about OA mandates for publications paid essays (and are not always apparent from the essay titles). Prominent for by public NIH grants. The essays are grouped into eight sections, recurring themes include: barriers to access; authors and their rights; the defining OA and its benefits, analyzing publishing and funding models, varieties of competing and complementary books and eBooks; aspects of and rebutting critics. copyright; embargoes as a point of argument; funding sources for pub- The last two sections (“More on the Landscape of Open Access” lishing and OA publishing; details about “green OA” and repositories; and “Bits of the Bigger Picture”) may be the most entertaining and the scholarly journal environment; the roles and burdens of libraries; thought-provoking. Suber brings his substantial powers of analysis to the development of the OA movement; the National Institutes of Health bear on diverse topics such as the special features of publishing in the hu- as a crucial arena for OA developments; peer review; publication fees; manities, retrospective OA “unbinding” of key publications (not unlike and the article submission process. the work of Knowledge Unlatched today), challenges in making ETDs In an era in which OA concepts are largely taken for granted — (electronic theses and dissertations) available through Open Access, and even if implementation is still contested — it is worthwhile to return historical lessons for OA publishing that can be found in other “sender to some original precepts and forecasts about the purposes, challenges pays” delivery systems such as postage stamps and broadcast media. and rewards of Open Access. MIT Press published this work both in print format and as an Open Access eBook, freely available in PDF for viewing, downloading and
Wryly Noted — Books About Books Column Editor: John D. Riley (Against the Grain Contributor and Owner, Gabriel Books)
Shakespeare & Co, Paris: A History of the acterized as “a socialist utopia masquerading Butler Yeat’s poem “The Circus Animals’ Rag & Bone Shop of the Heart. Edited by as a bookstore.” And it certainly lived up to Desertion.” Krista Halverson with a foreword by Jeanette that name. Whitman (purportedly a distant One key to the bookshop’s success, other Winterson and an epilogue by Sylvia Whit- cousin of Walt Whitman) let visitors live in than Whitman’s bibliomania and generous man. (ISBN: 979-10-96101-00-9 Published the shop in exchange for a few hours of book heart, was the fact that there were no public 2016 by the Bookshop Itself.) shelving or counter work. He called these libraries in Paris at that time. George operated visitors “Tumbleweeds” and also required that a lending library as much to make a little mon- they read at least one book a day and write a ey to keep the shop afloat as to not part with he original Shakespeare and Company two page autobiography. These his precious collection of books. He bookshop was founded by Sylvia Beach brief autobiographies make up also kept the shop in the black by Tin 1919 and it operated both as a book- nearly half of the book. The selling the books of Henry Miller, store and a lending library. It is most famous shop was open nineteen hours which were banned in the U.S. for acting as a salon for the “Lost Generation” a day, seven days a week and and Joyce’s Ulysses, which was and was a regular haunt of Hemingway, the during that time you could find still banned in Ireland! Fitzgeralds, Ezra Pound, and James Joyce. spontaneously performed live This is a book for anyone Sylvia Beach even published Joyce’s Ulysses music, poetry readings, and who loves books and literature when no other publisher would touch it. That general cavorting by members and bookshops. Shakespeare first incarnation of the bookshop closed in and hangers on of the Beat and Company is the Shake- 1941 when Paris came under Nazi occupation Generation. Whitman knew speare of all bookshops. Luck- and never opened again. Under its inspiration, Lawrence Ferlinghetti from ily for us the shop is still open George Whitman opened a bookshop and when he was a student at the and is now run by Whitman’s lending library named Mistral in 1951. That Sorbonne and his bookshop daughter, Sylvia. When she bookshop changed its name to Shakespeare was the inspiration for Ferling- took over in 2002 she made vast and Company in 1964 with the blessing of hetti’s City Lights bookshop improvements to the shop, such Sylvia Beach. It also happened to be the 400th in San Francisco. as bringing in a cash register to anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. This book Besides the Tumbleweeds’ replace the wooden cash box is the story of that shop. autobiographies, which consist largely of their that served for over forty years and she added Everyone has an image of Shakespeare experiences at the bookshop and in Paris, there a telephone to replace having to run out to the and Company in their mind, whether they is an illustrated retelling of the history of Syl- pay phone booth to make calls. have been there or not: Sylvia Beach chatting via Beach’s shop. The book is full of many Those of who have been lucky enough to with the half blind James Joyce, the Shake- color photographs and paintings from George visit recall the unique qualities of that iconic speare head logo at Kilometer Zero Paris, or Whitman’s shop and reminiscences written by bookshop. I remember entering the shop one perhaps they have a personal memory from a Whitman himself that were originally meant cold November afternoon in 1971 and being visit there. George Whitman had a unique to make up his autobiography “Rag and Bone offered a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau by approach to running his shop, which he char- Shop of the Heart” taken from a line of William continued on page 42
40 Against the Grain / June 2017
he SAGE Encyclopedia of War: So- will find valuable in both starting their both academic and public libraries where there cial Science Perspectives (2017, 978- explorations and in answering specific ques- is interest in musical theater. Given the topic’s T1483359892, $650) is a four-volume tions. In short, they have created a valuable level of popular appeal, many libraries may set recently pubished by SAGE Publishing. reference work that well rounded academic want to place an added copy in circulation. And Edited by Tufts University professor Paul library collections should gladly welcome. aside from libraries, a number of individuals Joseph, this reference critically examines An online version of the SAGE Encyclo- will also be tempted to add it to their personal war as far more than a military exercise. In pedia of War: Social Science Perspectives is collections. some 650 entries, the essays here view war available on the SAGE Knowledge platform. from the vantage point of social sciences as diverse as economics, psychology, sociology, Salem Press has recently updated an im- political science, the law, and communication The Complete Book of 2000s Broadway portant title in its Health series of reference and mass media. Musicals (2017, 978-1442278004, $125) is works. Edited by Michael A. Buratovich and While there is discussion of specific battles, the latest in author Dan Di- Laurie Jackson-Grusby, Sa- weaponry, and tactics, the bulk of this reference etz’s collection of reference lem Health: Cancer, 2nd Edi- is devoted to the social dimensions of war in- works on Broadway musicals. tion (2016, 978-1619259508, cluding its impacts on individuals and families, All published by Rowman & $455) is a four-volume set that racial and ethnic groups, and entire nations and Littlefield, Mr. Dietz’s books offers updated information cultures. In addition, there are articles that de- offer coverage of each musical about multiple aspects of a tail underlying concepts and theories related to performed on Broadway during disease that impacts millions war as well as those discussing war’s environ- every decade starting with the of individuals and their fam- mental impacts; psychological ramifications, 1940s. In all his prior works, ilies every day. In total there religious elements; and economic factors, not he examines each musical in are some 900 articles devoted to mention tools for preventing and managing rich detail and this new volume to explaining the facts about conflict like diplomacy and deterrence. is no exception. cancer in these volumes. Each entry offers historical context as well The book starts with an For ease of use and to give as specific observations in a straightforward, introduction that enumerates readers a full sense of the cov- fact-filled fashion. The articles are well re- the type of productions performed ranging erage, the set is arranged in ten categories searched and grounded in serious scholarship from book musicals to magic revues and from with essays listed alphabetically within each and should be equally valued by the serious revivals to plays with incidental songs. This category. The essays range in length from student and the interested lay reader. Solid is followed by a brief analysis of the decade 400 to 2,000 words. Coverage starts with dis- bibliographies are provided for each article and how its productions match up with past cussions of specific diseases, symptoms, and leading to other helpful sources. Although decades. A total of 213 revues and musicals conditions and then moves on to medical spe- there is little to no illustration in these volumes, are listed with the basic arrangement of the cialties, cancer related organizations, social and the text layout is visually attractive and easy volume being chronological by annual season personal issues, cancer biology, carcinogens to read. Access to the articles is provided via and opening date. and suspected carcinogens, chemotherapy and numerous “see also” references, Each entry has a wealth other drugs, complementary and alternative a comprehensive and well-de- of information including the therapies, lifestyle and prevention and finally signed general index, and a theater where the musical was procedures. useful reader’s guide organized performed; the numbers of As is the practice in Salem publications, by broad categories. performances; who wrote the standard formats are used for the essays to en- The SAGE Encyclopedia book, lyrics and music; the sure uniform quality coverage and direct access of War: Social Science Per- director; the cast members; the to the most pertinent information. Given the spectives adds an important number of acts; and each mu- differing requirements of the categories in this non-military frame of reference sical number performed during reference, six different formats are used. The to the study and understanding each act in addition to the names contributors to the set are medical profession- of war and conflict. Like all of the performers. This key data als and the information they provide in these fine subject encyclopedias, it is followed by a descriptive essays is objective, factual and informed. Care encapsulates a great deal of and evaluative essay informed has also been taken so that the information pro- research on a broad range of re- by quotes from vided is as straightforward and lated topics. Mr. Joseph and his contributors various reviews as well as understandable as possible. The have done researchers a service in providing the expertise of the author. If physical layout is well designed a scholarly, but reader friendly source of warranted, a list of any awards and includes numerous charts, background infor- or nominations received is also tables, and photos that enhance mation that stu- provided. and help inform the text. Other dents value added features include The Complete Book of an appendix that lists drugs by 2000s Broadway Musicals is an trade name, as well as those that obvious labor of love. The care list and describe associations and effort taken in assembling and agencies, cancer centers this level of detail is impressive, and hospitals, cancer support not to mention the knowledge groups, and suspected carcin- of musical theater required to ogens. In addition, there is a write such informed essays. helpful glossary, an extensive Readers from the serious scholar to the enthu- bibliography of sources referenced in the set, siastic fan will find value and enjoyment in this and a general subject index. reference. This book is a natural addition for continued on page 42 Against the Grain / June 2017
Wryly Noted those who did. In the 1960s a friend of mine Rumors from page 40 bunked in the free lodging space upstairs of the from page 32 shop with Eldridge Cleaver who was on the lam from the police and the courts back home. George Whitman. I had him all to myself that Society’s Max Planck Digital Library. The afternoon and he generously told me stories of George Whitman passed away in 2011, Max Planck Digital Library (MPDL) in Samuel Becket who was a regular customer two days after his ninety-eighth birthday. He Munich is a central unit of the Max Planck and a favorite author of both of us. I half ex- lived by his twin credos: “The book business Society that supports scientists from all Max pected to see Beckett come in the shop while I is the business of life,” and “I’m tired of people Planck Institutes with a broad portfolio of was there. I too took inspiration enough from saying they don’t have time to read. I don’t services in the fields of information provision, George Whitman to eventually open my own have time for anything else!” publication support and research data manage- bookshop which I named the Madeleine in I hope you too can read this wonderful book ment. In the era of digital information, big data, honor of the time I spent in Paris that winter. and that you too take inspiration from this one the World Wide Web and web-based collabora- I never got to live in the shop, much to of a kind literary treasure. tion, MPDL makes a substantial contribution to my regret, but I have heard many stories from continued on page 57
42 Against the Grain / June 2017
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Loretta Lynn v. Sure-Fire Music Com- A federal court has jurisdiction if the com- rights within copyright per 17 U.S.C. § 106. pany. United States Court of Appeals for the plaint invokes federal law. Caterpillar, Inc. v. Wrench LLC v. Taco Bell Corp., 256 F.3d 446, Sixth Circuit. 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 14050. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 392 (1987). 453 (6th Cir. 2001). “My daddy worked all night in the Van Duh. Rights protected under Copyright are Lear coal mines Lynn’s complaint had to: (1) reproduce the work; (2) prepare “All day long in the field a hoin’ corn” no federal law. It was all derivative works; (3) distribute copies; (4) in the case of music, to perform it; Ah yes, Loretta Lynn, coal miner’s daugh- contract law. But is the com- plaint, as Sure-Fire insisted, (5) in the case of sound recordings, to ter from Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. And perform by digital audio transmission. Daddy indeed died of black lung. preempted by Copyright Law? Lynn wanted her recordings back And she married at 15, launched her career And what was Sure- and her foreign royalties paid over. in 1953 with a $17 Harmony guitar, became She had to prove the formation and a Nashville fixture with 16 number-one hits. Fire’s strategy? Were they so insistent on copyright breach of a contract. In 1961, Lynn contracted with Sure-Fire because they hadn’t violated copyright? So the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district Music Company, giving them world-wide court’s dismissal. copyright interests in her songs in exchange As you’re about to see, Lynn’s lawyer did for royalties. In 1966, they re-executed with the thing right from the get-go and has gotten But back in state court, she would have to one big difference. If there was a change of totally jerked around and stalled. appeal their dismissal. Ye-gads. ownership of Sure-Fire, the contract “shall be Preemption can only happen if (1) the work Perhaps inspiring her to write “Full Circle.” null and void.” is within the scope of the “subject matter of And for her attorney, “All I Want From You Is copyright” which the songs were; and (2) her Away.” i.e., better the bandits you know … state law rights are equivalent to any exclusive By 2003, the original Sure-Fire owner brothers were out and other family members in. Lynn filed in state court for a whole bunch of stuff. To wit: declaratory judgment that contract Questions & Answers — Copyright void; recover master recordings; breach of contract for failing to renew copyrights and Column failing to collect foreign royalties and other in- juries, all of which were contract or tort claims. Column Editor: Laura N. Gasaway (Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, The state court said it had no subject matter University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Law, Chapel Hill, NC 27599; jurisdiction as the Copyright Act preempted the Phone: 919-962-2295; Fax: 919-962-1193)
44 Against the Grain / June 2017
Against the Grain / June 2017
nowledge Unlatched (KU) has just can expect quite a share of double dipping in available from this year on. Many libraries finished its third round of unlatching leading libraries. And anecdotal evidence from indicated that they would like to pledge not Kmonographs in the humanities and a number of major libraries indeed shows that only for one year, but for a period of three years social sciences, making 343 books from 53 the share of titles within KU that these libraries right away to minimize the time spent on the publishers around the world available as open would have bought anyways is between 50% transactional side. KU has built a functionality access (OA). The initiative (www.knowled- and 70%. Given that in many cases libraries that allows institutions to opt for this. geunlatched.org), founded by Frances Pinter do not receive additional Open Access funding, in 2012, has thus become the largest cooperative but have to finance it through collection build- The Future: KU as a Market Place endeavor for open access books. With almost ing funds, this seems to be good news. But for Open Access 450 academic libraries participating through the process of shifting budgets is something Knowledge Unlatched has been very funding the project, KU is also one of the most libraries are clearly struggling with. successful in demonstrating that there is the active players in addressing the practical issues As KU sees itself as a bridge model from willingness of both publishers and libraries to around OA for books — and there are still many one with a traditional acquisition focus to one support Open Access for books in the human- left to address. As libraries from the United supporting Open Access, the major challenge ities and the social sciences. This support has States and Canada form the largest group of is to support libraries to efficiently shift their been financial, but more importantly, KU’s supporters of this global initiative — 44% of all budgets without missing out on content or partners really are an active part in advancing participating institutions in KU Select 2016 are duplicating. the model. This does not only happen through based in North America — there are four key Since the second round, KU has provided its advisory steering or title selection commit- challenges KU has been working on. skeleton MARC records to allow for trans- tees, but equally importantly through numerous meetings on specific issues, some of which I Usage in Times of Open Access parency early on in the decision making of whether to support Knowledge Unlatched. And have addressed here. Librarians are rightly very concerned about Libraries and publishers alike are most the efficient use of their resources, and that libraries around the world have actively used the information provided to prevent double interested in broadening the impact of Knowl- means that they care a lot whether content edge Unlatched, using it as a vehicle to make they have spent library budget on is used by dipping through stopping their acquisition of material that is part of KU collections. more content available in Open Access and the library’s patrons. COUNTER-compliant eliminating barriers in the current academic usage statistics are important to secure funding The cooperation with vendors providing approval plans proved difficult. Of course, KU publishing landscape. In support of this notion, from university deans and provosts, and to KU will develop into a platform that is open to prove that a library is investing in the “right” and participating publishers want to avoid titles which are unlatched and hence Open Access to more initiatives than just the unlatching of its content. In an Open Access world, that poses books as we know it so far. a special challenge to all initiatives out there, be listed with a price in these vendors’ systems. as there is no apparent reason for students and Conversations have not led to any tangible Beginning in 2017, KU will add around researchers to log into the library system to results yet, but are continuing. It seems that 20 journals and offer libraries the opportunity read an OA book (or journal article). the library community has to make its voice to unlatch these. All are being published by heard to effect a change here. renowned publishers, all of them have existed Knowledge Unlatched has addressed the for quite some time, and will soon be flipped issue by combining the usage from research- Differential Pricing completely provided the initiative gains enough ers within the IP range of the library with In line with more titles becoming unlatched backing. geolocation data. Thus, librarians can assess from the pilot round (28 titles) through the sec- Furthermore, with Language Science downloads of books that have been unlatched ond (78) to the third round (343), the financial in an easy way. And the impact is astonishing: Press as a very innovative Open Access lin- support required by each participating library guistics publisher, KU works on collecting Looking at the Boston/Cambridge area, KU has therefore increased significantly, from books have been downloaded within the IP the financial support to secure the operations 1,300 USD to 10,780 USD. In an environment of Lang Sci Press. In this case, KU does not ranges of the three supporting institutions — where library budgets are under pressure, it Harvard, MIT and Boston University — 84 only reach out to libraries, but also beyond that has not been easy for libraries to free up this core. Institutes of linguistics and individuals times in Q4 of 2016 — counting full books, amount within a relatively short period of time. not chapters. If geolocation data is included, are also being approached, naturally with a it becomes clear that this figure only captures Knowledge Unlatched has reacted in three specific unlatching fee that is only 106 USD 13.5% of all downloads in the region. The total different ways. First of all, the decision was p.a. for individuals. number of downloads was whopping 593 in made to not increase the volume of the title Finally, KU is concerned with supporting just one quarter for 104 titles only! package for the next round to allow for a the broader infrastructure of Open Access in moment of consolidation. Secondly, in 2017, academic institutions. For its hosting partner If there were doubts before whether OA is KU will introduce differential pricing. This an economical way of supporting monographs OAPEN (next to HathiTrust), it will spread the will allow smaller institutions to participate in word about their institutional repository service in the humanities and social sciences, these the pledging, while they lacked the financial numbers clearly demonstrate that it is. OAPEN will be offering from this year on. resources in previous rounds. The differenti- Knowledge Unlatched has an infrastruc- Double Dipping ation for North America has been developed ture as well as an experienced team in library A major concern about OA traditionally based on Carnegie Classifications. outreach in place, and it has always seen Open is double dipping, the unintended duplicative Thirdly, KU will increase its efforts to work Access in the humanities and social sciences as acquisition of the identical content, mainly with consortia to secure broader participation a field in which cooperation is more important as a consequence of a lack of transparency in Open Access for books while limiting the than competition. That’s why KU offers others between publishers, vendors and libraries. financial impact on the individual institutions. in the market the chance to work together on As Knowledge Unlatched works with high A good example of how library feedback making Open Access work. quality publishers from around the world, you changes KU is a functionality that will be
46 Against the Grain / June 2017
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Andy Neilly was the first nonfamily mem- story of the AAP and of the publishers group executive council chair then, ber to assume the presidency at Wiley. That within AAP that became the Professional and recalls Thomas showing up was in 1971, five years before I joined the Scholarly Publishing Division (PSP), money at the PSP Annual Confer- company as an acquisitions editor for profes- issues have always been present. “People ence, which was held for a sional and reference books in mechanical and didn’t like to pay their dues,” Andy Neilly few years in Hershey, PA, to hector the council. industrial engineering. Those were heady days. said about the early days, but over the years He wanted to close down the NY office and The hours were 8:30 to 4:30 and the floor I was the issues have gone beyond that. spend more money on lobbying. He threatened on seemed empty a few minutes after closing; To be sure, there has always been enough to go to council members’ bosses to get them commuters were already on their way to their money to hire high-profile men and women to order their employees to accede to his de- trains from Grand Central and Penn Station. As as AAP President. (The head of a publishing mands. “Look around the table,” Eric recalls he was leaving one day, I heard Andy crack that house or an otherwise senior executive serves telling him, “these are the bosses!” There was he was heading home because “you can’t make as chair.) Edward M. Korry, a U.S. diplomat a fight over money. The marriage that Brad any money around here,” but the reality was who served under Kennedy, Johnson, and Wiley had brokered brought money into the that the dollar spigot was running just fine in Nixon was AAP President after the organiza- AAP from the textbook publishers group, and those days, when the Wiley family was ceding tion’s founding in 1970 until he was replaced PSP claimed that money as its own. Eric day-to-day control to professional managers. by Townsend (Tim) Hoopes in August 1973. Swanson told me that Brooks Thomas should Andy still lives in Connecticut. He’s 94 Hoopes served from 1973 to 1986, followed by have gotten people to raise the dues and hire and sounds sharp and hearty on the phone. Nicholas Veliotes (1986-1997), Pat Schroder a competent lobbyist. Thomas did manage His eyesight isn’t great, so he’s had to give (1997-2009), Tom Allen (2009-2017) and to interrupt the PSP Annual Conference for up his watercolors. He devotes his time to Maria Pallante, who has been installed just a couple of years, folding it into a Consoli- family now. recently. Tim Hoopes, a distinguished author dated Divisional Meeting, but the prohibition I called him the other day because I wanted of important books on Vietnam-era diplomacy ended when I became executive council chair. to talk about the origins of the Association of and military matters, had served in government We went back to Hershey for a year, and we American Publishers (AAP), which Brad and worked in the private sector, before his started a quarterly newsletter. (To be fair, Wiley, who remained Wiley’s CEO until stint at the AAP. I remember noting, the first Brooks Thomas, trained as a lawyer, did have Andy succeeded him in 1979, co-founded in time I saw him, the stately manner with which a productive career at Harper & Row — until 1970. “I was on the fringes,” Andy said when he walked into a room. I see him now in my it was taken over by Rupert Murdoch, of all I asked him who the other co-founders were. mind’s eye, dressed always in a safari jacket people. The plot always sickens, as an old “Curtis Benjamin was probably involved,” over an Oxford shirt. Nick Veliotes had been friend of mine often muses.) he went on. The legendary Benjamin, who, a seasoned diplomat before taking over from “The Year in Review” AAP annual report among other things during his 38-year career Tim Hoopes. The early portion of Nick’s highlights from 1983/84 and 1984/85 that Judy at McGraw-Hill, had been responsible for tenure coincided with my terms as chairs of Platt emailed to me don’t explicitly discuss the company’s entry into multivolume refer- the PSP executive council and the AAP copy- the tension and the fights. (In both cases, the ence publishing in the 1950s, had retired as right committee. I consulted frequently with first paragraph, which discusses publishing McGraw-Hill’s chairman in 1966, I found Nick, who always had a small pad and pencil industry financial results, covers only book out after the phone call. So I can only guess in his hands. He once called me his “godfa- sales; of journal subscription sales, there is nary about his involvement in AAP’s founding. ther,” much to my delight. Pat Schroder and a peep. Such innocent days.) There’s talk in Andy also mentioned Bob Bernstein, another Tom Allen were both multi-term members of both years of budget cuts, staff reductions, and legendary publishing figure, who wasRandom Congress before their AAP days. I would see “realignments” of programs and division staff House president and CEO at the time. His them once or twice a year and enjoy talking heads’ responsibilities. Wikipedia page mentions AAP involvement politics. Maria Pallante has most recently The Year in Review for 1984/85 mentions in the early 1970s, but not at the founding. been U.S. Register of Copyright at the Library the New York office’s move from One Park No matter. “Prentice Hall was involved,” of Congress. Avenue, where the rent was scheduled to Andy said. “They were difficult,” he chuckled. As far as I can tell, the PSP Division dates quadruple, to 220 East 23rd Street. Later, the “They wanted to be in charge of everything.” back pretty much to AAP’s founding days. I office moved to the corner of Fifth Avenue and In any case, as Andy recalled, Brad Wiley attended my first PSP Annual Conference 15th Street, where it’s been until now. You’d was instrumental in merging the mainly trade in 1977, at Absecon, Grace Kelly’s father’s have to admit that this second-floor space is American Book Publishers Council, which favorite watering hole, or so I was told. In quite generous, with a large kitchen area, mail had been started in 1945, with the older Ameri- those days, the small houses hadn’t been room, comfortable individual offices for staff can Textbook Publishing Institute to form the gobbled up yet by the giants, and the meeting members, and a double-sized conference room AAP. “We were not organized on copyright,” was populated by publishing buccaneers who that is used for executive council and commit- Andy said in recalling why Brad created the seemed more interested in their poker games tee meetings, the annual two-day judging for merger. “The textbook publishers were mostly than anything else, except making money, of the PROSE Awards, and the many workshops interested in the domestic market,” he went on, course. One evening, Andy Neilly gave a that PSP operates for junior staff members at “but the merger brought in people who cared riotously funny address filled with stories that publishing houses, covering such topics as about international markets.” enabled him to employ an array of pitch-perfect finance for non-financial professionals, pub- As I have tried, with the help of old friends tongues, particularly from the auld sod. And all lishing professional, scholarly and academic and colleagues — Andy Neilly, Eric Swanson, the stories would have been suitable for your books, and publishing journals. The latter two now retired from Wiley, Dick Rudick, retired great-grandma. workshops have been running for many years. Wiley chief counsel and now on the board PSP’s very existence didn’t seem to amuse AAP budgetary constraints are forcing clo- of the Copyright Clearance Center, Judy Brooks Thomas, from Harper & Row, who sure of this New York office. Staff members are Platt, an old AAP hand, who is now Director, was AAP Chair around 1983-84. AAP main- working at home and at desk space 16 blocks Free Expression Advocacy, there, plus John tained two offices — one in Washington, at the uptown. So far, they’re coping quite well. Tagler, VP and PSP Executive Director, who’s federal government’s doorstep, and the other Now you’d have to admit, when you look at the been at AAP for the past nine years, and Sara in New York, where many publishers had their long list of public policy and legislative letters, Pinto, PSP Director — to piece together the headquarters. Eric Swanson, who was PSP continued on page 49
48 Against the Grain / June 2017
n politics, as in most things in life, it de- among some librarians, mainly but not exclu- all-or-nothing attitude of the Weathermen, and pends on whose ox is being gored, and that sively younger ones. They believe that now disaster loomed. Once they blew up Sterling Igoring often is colored by our biases. The is the time to draw a line in the sand, to take a Hall (aka, Army Math Research Center) on the goring may not even fall along party lines. If stand, to unseat this President; and that is not campus of the University of Wisconsin, killing the matter isn’t about you, about your interests, only a really bad idea in general regardless of a married graduate student and father of three or about someone who you are interested in, who is in power, but also a terrible idea for the children, Robert Fassnacht, the movement you are as likely to dismiss it as you do the profession. Although he did not always follow tanked, and quickly. Most movement members sunrise. his own advice, Francis Bacon saw it coming; some got out, others did not. It’s This point was recently driven home to me is pertinent here: “if a man will not a stretch to say that internal by a fake news story about the Super Bowl begin with certainties, he shall biases killed everything. Champions visiting the White House. It ran end in doubts; but if he will be I see the small but vocal a non-story, a story that did not happen by content to begin with doubts, group of librarians wanting to focusing on those who were not going to the he shall end in certainties.” “do something” making a sim- White House rather than on those who did. In Not to compare small ilar mistake on a smaller scale the end, they got it wrong, making it seem that things with great, but a book culturally, but a potentially there was a protest vote against the President that recently came out, drove more massive one professional- when, like almost every year since this silly home this point to me even ly. Professions that are typically event has been going on, there were about the more. Clara Bingham’s apolitical should remain that way. same number who show up every year. The last Witness to the Revolution: Radicals, Resisters, It serves no one to draw a line in the sand be- time the Patriots were there, 36 appeared with Vets, Hippies, and the Year America Lost Its cause more often than not that alienates that Obama; this year, 34 appeared with Trump. Mind and Found Its Soul (Random House, part of membership on the “wrong” side of that No news here. 2016) is a collection of hundreds of interviews line. Our membership needs to remember that But the story sparked a point in my mind with sixties revolutionaries. It’s a movement in whatever library we work, we serve every- about biases. If I’m a Republican, I cannot I know a little about since I lived through a one: Democrats, Republicans, the far right, the let a Democrat look good. Likewise, if I’m good part of it. While the peace movement was far left, the alt-right, the alt-left, Libertarians a Democrat, I cannot allow anything good to bustling right along and gaining tremendous and Independents. Assigning ourselves to one pass about a Republican, and especially this momentum, a combination of biases within side or the other will only force the snubbed Republican. For those of us in the business the movement, and an undisciplined view that side to make a decision against us. If my pa- of ferreting out the truth for folks, or at the it had to be all or nothing, blew up that missile trons know I am decidedly and very publicly very least, truthful information, this becomes as soon as it began gaining altitude. left wing and fiercely anti-Trump, how can critically important to avoid. It isn’t so much For example, women involved in the peace they ever trust anything I say about him, his that fake news has emerged; the fact of the movement soon discovered, as the movement presidency, or the right in general, even (and matter is that this is the first year people have gained musculature, that they were important especially) when I speak truthfully? begun to pay attention to it, but, alas, only in as … only women who got coffee, ran errands, It’s helpful to remember that our funding a party line, biased way. and took dictation. Of course, the free love as- comes without partisan colors. It remains green As librarians, we cannot afford to take sides. pect also proved advantageous … to men, who from whoever has the will to fund us. In tough We have to remain as neutral as is humanly pos- could walk away when they pleased. Women, times that are sure to become tougher still, this sible while at work, as partisan as we want to on the other hand, were stuck raising children, may well be the most important thing about be after hours. A trend is mounting, however, or having abortions, alone. Add to this the which we can remind each other.
availability of a conference room when an anti-censorship, copyright, and educational The Scholarly Publishing Scene important book author team or several journal efforts. But it did appear to me, in the days from page 48 editorial board members are in town. Moving when I was running AAP committees, that the PROSE, which has blossomed in recent years movie industry, with smaller annual revenues, submissions, and statements that are available under the leadership of John Jenkins and with I believed, had a more visible and powerful on the AAP website, that all staff members PSP staffer Kate Kolendo’s organizational trade organization. need to get such jobs done is a telephone, a skills, presents other potential problems. There I understand what AAP’s top priorities computer, and an Internet connection. PSP are well over 500 entries annually, most of should be. I agree with the answer recently also oversees important surveys, including them books, which have to be logged in and retired AAP president Tom Allen gave to a roundups of journal publishing, which involve then boxed up and sent out to judges. It takes a question that alluded to them in his Publish- extensive reporting from publishers. Again, great deal of coordination to put on the annual ers Weekly “exit interview”: copyright and you don’t need a suite of offices in Manhattan conference and make it as successful as it’s intellectual property protections. But also to get these jobs done either, although you do been for so long. (I’ve reported on the confer- important to AAP’s — and the publishing have to continually keep on top of busy staffers ence for many years.) I wonder how easily all industry’s — survival are the long-standing at publishing houses to obtain extensive data. that’s going to be handled in the future. educational, informational, and promotional What also concerns me, as someone with I’ve been told that the New York office activities that PSP, arguably AAP’s staunchest years of history with PSP, is the continued expenses were not sustainable, and I’m sure division, has carried out so successfully. And functioning of the valuable workshops, the that AAP leadership can justify the closing in yes, camaraderie is also an essential ingredient. PROSE awards program, and the annual con- financial terms. When I hear that, I think about I hope these activities and spirit aren’t allowed ference (with over 250 attendees this year). Andy Neilly’s comment about publishers’ to wither away, much less diminish. After all, The workshops are to be held in publishers’ dues-paying reluctance, at least back in the day. isn’t a knowledgeable, informed, and collegial conference rooms. Which sounds fine until To be sure, AAP has accomplished a great deal workforce a bulwark against an industry’s some staff member complains about the un- in the past nearly half century, particularly with destruction?
Against the Grain / June 2017
n late 1959, Eric, newly hired editor of Library Journal, was sent example, never instruction. Eric was a brilliant man but he did have around by Bowker’s Fred Melcher to visit a few librarian-edi- editing weaknesses: he made sure the phrase cinéma vérité always had Itor-writers across the country. Fred (and son Dan) mistakenly a nice accent over the final e (only). But he and Ilse devised five or thought this foreigner needed rounding in the provinces (since he’d six entertaining librarianly crossword puzzles for the Wilson Library had but England, India and a year of Newfoundland as preparation Bulletin in the early-mid 1970s — and they’re hard to do! Basically, for America; at Loughborough postwar noninterference was his standard and the he did his thesis on John Steinbeck). authors responded well. My father, Robert D. Franklin, head of Eric’s wonderful retellings of “he- the Toledo Public Library, was a senior said, and then-I-told-him” stuff, modest member of this small group, having for ten accounts of himself competing with lessers, years (and then another 13 or so) put out a were always highly entertaining. He turned newsletter called The Tee Pee — after the encounters with the famous into animated initials Toledo Public — chockablock with stories at dinner and ducked dinners with librarianly tips, good-employee anecdotes the dull. He especially enjoyed his meet- and literary musings. Eric arrived for a ings with literary lights; encountering leisurely overnight. Norman Mailer, he recalled, they both I was 16 and co-captain of the high went into a banty boxer crouch (Eric pur- school chess team. Eric, sly, played me and sued pugilism in the British Army in India beat me. Came outta nowhere! during the war). Nine years later (having tasted library He had two leadership lives (the Amer- school at Columbia — with Ilse not-yet ican Library Association was the larger) Moon, Pat Schuman, Art Plotnik and and was a mentor in both realms. Pat others! — but didn’t stay for a degree), I got Eric Moon at the banquet celebrating his Schuman (born same week and year as I) out of the Army, hitchhiked all over Europe, inauguration as president of the American is an excellent example of the ALA side. I tried out my Yale Russian in Leningrad and Library Association, Detroit, 1977. was the beneficiary of the business side — Moscow, lived in a cave on Crete. Finally for a while — but then gradually moved into I returned, bearded, browned in Morocco. Went to my sister Linda’s the edges of ALA-dom as well, becoming close with Arthur Curley, New York apartment, slept on the floor, she went to work, her phone one of Eric’s (and my) favorite dinner companions. This led to twelve rang, it was Eric, calling from Scarecrow Press, casually wondering of years on the ALA Council, on of course the rear row. Eric and I even my whereabouts (my father had just written, My son is soon available; developed a bit of a psychic connection (seriously); as he stood in 1977 try his sister’s phone). I took the train to Metuchen for lunch. Got to give his ALA presidential inaugural address, his first words popped hired. Summer 1969. into my mind a second before he spoke them: “It’s a long way from Eric introduced me to all the bigwigs and some of the big shots the back bench ....” (connotation was a shared hobby) in the library profession, including his There are some things Eric and I used to argue about wherein I successor John Berry (we hailed each other in impolite Morse code). still think he was wrong. For instance, I was pro some sort of space Grolier had just bought Ralph Shaw’s (and the senior Albert Daub’s) exploration, citing the uplift value, raising the citizenry’s gaze, giving Scarecrow that summer of 1969 and Theodore Waller was nervous humankind a little pride and excitement... He definitively dismissed (Eric was not your usual corporate cog). I pitched in editing for six that in favor of spending the money on society’s neediest (my word). months or so and then was “let go” — Eric was status-battling not just Nothing for space. Ted Waller but Shaw as well (Shaw, one of my father’s best friends, He was honest and loyal and generous and sympathetic. Underneath was peeved at my library school departure), and I was a temporary ca- it all. And uncompromising. Didn’t much like most academics (not sualty. By then (January 1970) Eric and I had become true friends (we too bright; can’t write). He was a superb actor (in front of any sort of were 20 years to the week apart in age) and I’d tried to learn to drink. group, or just me, or a table of six), the hands busy with the pipe, then He was going through a divorce. the wave-away of the first smoke; the eyes drilling you till you yielded I was rehired in late 1970 (after a summer singing in a bar in Torremo- a chuckle at a witticism. One could sum up the man by the roster of linos) and stayed through March of 1979. Eric had firm expectations. I his closest friends — not a false note in any of them and all were and aligned myself with them best I could. Do It Now (never put it off). Look are forever loyal. at every page before going to the printer. Treat the authors with great respect. Write them back today. Treat the employees with great respect I founded McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers in 1979, a day (but a little distance too). Don’t encourage gifts. Don’t look back on a after leaving Scarecrow, where my longtime friend Bill Eshelman and decision (even if maybe you made a mistake) — your certainty is a boon perhaps Eric’s closest friend through the ages was well ensconced to to the workers. Drink gin at every lunch (I tried but sometimes skipped carry on. Eric had known (as usual) it was time for me to go off on my this ritual; we three, including AI Daub fils, nearly always had lunch own before I did; he (and Esh) helped make it inevitable and pleasant. together). Arrive at the office precisely at 8. Leave the office precisely Eric’s management manners have translated well in my 38 subse- at 4:30 with no paper goods atop one’s desk. Drop that middle initial. quent years of publishing. McFarland’s 50 employees all know Eric Edit a manuscript quickly; don’t flip back; learn to do it right on page as godfather of my company. 10 so you don’t have to change your mind on page 60. Keep the routine And so, Eric, you leave us, and the conTROversy of caPITalism sacred; pick up all the slack yourself. He taught almost exclusively by remains unresolved.
50 Against the Grain / June 2017
And They Were There Reports of Meetings — ACRL 2017, CNI Spring 2017 and the 36th Annual Charleston Conference Column Editor: Sever Bordeianu (Head, Print Resources Section, University Libraries, MSC05 3020, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001; Phone: 505-277-2645; Fax: 505-277-9813)
ACRL 2017 — At the Helm: Leading Transformation — safety measure. Gay advised the audience to engage in small acts of March 22-25, 2017 — Baltimore, MD resistance. For example, librarians shouldn’t buy Milo’s book. Even small acts of resistance require courage, and Gay challenged librarians Reported by: Alyssa Russo (University of New Mexico) to find those that cause and practice small acts of resistance. Gay also shared her fatigue at being asked for answers to diversity The theme of the 2017 meeting of the Association of College and issues. She didn’t miss a beat in her response, “I am just a writer. I Research Libraries (ACRL) conference, held on March 22-25, 2017 in don’t have access to secret magical Negro wisdom that white people Baltimore, Maryland was At the Helm: Leading Transformation. The aren’t privy to. What I do know is that today, tomorrow, and for the conference showcased a typical mixture of sessions focused on prac- foreseeable future, everything we do is political as readers, as writers, as tice-based methods, tools, and resources, however, sessions featuring booksellers, as people.” It was sadly ironic that many of the questions issues of diversity and social justice stood out this year at the conference. she fielded after her talk probably only perpetuated her fatigue for these The opening keynote address was delivered by David McCandless, types of questions. Even so, she graciously offered this advice: think a British data-journalist and author of Information is Beautiful. His through your resistance to whatever you are trying to better understand. passion for telling stories with data was conveyed throughout his talk. “Don’t shame yourself. Do the work.” Empathy came up several times In one diagram he focused on expressing billions of dollars, and how as a piece of the puzzle, alongside the acknowledgement that empathy difficult it is for most people to conceptualize billions, yet these numbers comes from reading exhaustively. It’s time to do more reading. It’s are regularly tossed around in the media. In a colorful diagram plotted also time to remember that neutrality is a myth and the ally card is just with media reported spending in the billions, the viewer is able to see another way to say that you are neutral. patterns in the numbers that might otherwise be missing. McCandless’ Verna Myers’s mission is to disrupt the status quo. She is a former ability to visually frame and reframe data is entertaining and often sur- lawyer turned diversity consultant, and author of What If I Say the Wrong prising. Aware of the opportunity for abuse of misrepresenting data, Thing? 25 Habits for Culturally Effective People. Demonstrated through McCandless has made his data transparent through publicly available her energy, humor, and talent for casually talking about heavy material reference sheets to trace back his sources. When asked to speak more with panache, Myers’s presentation covered acknowledging biases, about truth in the face of alternative facts, McCandless informed the expanding comfort zones, and interrupting the behavior that manifests audience that he is currently working on a new visualization that teases from unconscious bias. She began by defining unconscious bias, or those out different types of truth, from empirical fact based on experimentation automatic associations humans have about groups of people that differ and reproducibility to personal, emotional truth based on individual ex- from themselves. She also addressed the rampant denial people cling to perience. Anyone interested in viewing these interactive visualizations when confronted with the idea that they possess biases. Everyone has can visit McCandless’ website: http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/ them if it makes it easier to swallow. Myers cited Harvard’s Project visualizations/. Implicit, a test that measures implicit preferences for racial groups, as In an invited presentation, Professor Nicole Cooke from the Grad- an example that demonstrates unconscious bias. One needs not look uate School of Library and Information Science at the University of far to see who part of their in-group is, and therefore, who is not. Fur- Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, shared her story about building a library thermore, it’s not that anyone is necessarily wrong about the merits of and information science program that teaches diversity, social justice, those they favor within their in-group, but they’re missing out on the race, gender, and sexuality issues. Her story revealed the challenging merits of people who fall outside of that in-group. Myers made the reality that she shoulders the entire responsibility of leading this effort point that if an individual messes up, then they need to apologize and while the ischool supports the initiative from a comfortable distance. move on. By avoiding a person after making a mistake, the offender This is further compounded by her admission that former students she only further punishes that person for their own discomfort. Meyers also taught had made tone deaf or downright hurtful comments regarding made it clear that no one is the diversity police. Do not try to change such issues. This situation only further demonstrates the need for in- a person, but do interrupt the behavior that comes from unconscious clusion of these topics throughout the curriculum. What fuels Cooke’s bias. It can be as simple as asking, “What do you mean?” after someone intense passion for teaching, given the exhausting circumstances, is the steps in it. Myers has a TED Talk for those interested in learning more meaningful interactions and relationships that are built in class. Initially, (https://www.ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_bias- library students were not relating to the social justice concepts until the es_walk_boldly_toward_them). power of storytelling was tapped. This approach rebooted the content Finally, Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and the first Afri- thanks to the new framing where the personal is political. can-American to hold the post of Librarian of Congress, delivered the It goes without saying that Roxane Gay, author of bestselling Bad conference’s closing keynote address. The anticipation leading up to Feminist and professor of English at Purdue University, was a top the address was palpable as the final sessions wrapped up. Hayden’s highlight of the conference as the middle keynote. She embodied a decision to keep the Enoch Pratt Free Library open to the community recurring theme at the conference: A Call to Become Comfortable during the unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray has Being Uncomfortable. Gay spent the bulk of her address unapologet- garnered respect and admiration that reaches well beyond the realm of ically discussing national politics, language, and the power of reading. librarianship. Her actions serve as an example of the ways librarians Reflecting on how carelessly people use language in political slogans can practice small acts of resistance. At the conference, Hayden’s op- and catchphrases she pronounced, “Language becomes an empty con- timism and dedication to service were immediately demonstrated when tainer for whatever people want to fill it with.” This is related to the she was spotted out in the audience shaking hands and taking pictures problem she has with allies. She doesn’t have time for allies who stay with conference attendants before her address. Hayden spoke about at a comfortable distance, who are privileged enough to be able to be her goal to make the library accessible to everyone, she acknowledged indifferent to others’ adversities. The collective mentality of so-called how representation matters, and offered advice about staying grounded “allies” who remain comfortably removed got us to the current political and not losing hope by building a strong community of support. She landscape. At the University of New Mexico, this manifested when used the personal example of her mother, who helped her get through Milo Yiannopoulos’ right to free speech trumped the library’s opera- the nerves during the confirmation vote for the nomination of Librarian tions and forced the Library to close its doors and services early as a continued on page 53
52 Against the Grain / June 2017
Against the Grain / June 2017
Issues in Book and Serial Acquisition, “Roll With the Times or the Times Roll Over You,” Charleston Gaillard Center, Francis Marion Hotel, Embassy Suites Historic Downtown, and Courtyard Marriott Historic District — Charleston, SC, November 1-5, 2016 Charleston Conference Reports compiled by: Ramune K. Kubilius (Northwestern University, Galter Health Sciences Library)
Column Editor’s Note: Thank you to all of the Charleston Con- ference attendees who agreed to write short reports that highlight All About MOOCs: Online Learning is Alive and Well — sessions they attended at the 2016 Charleston Conference. All at- Presented by Tim Bowen (Copyright Clearance Center); tempts were made to provide a broad coverage of sessions, and notes Heather Staines (ProQuest SIPX); Jeff Voci (Elsevier); are included in the reports to reflect known changes in the session Lori Ostapowicz Critz (Georgia Tech) titles or presenters, highlighting those that were not printed in the conference’s final program (though some may have been reflected in NOTE: Tommie Doyle (Elsevier) substituted for the online program). Please visit the Conference Website at www. Jeff Voci on the panel. charlestonlibraryconference.com, and the online conference schedule at https://2016charlestonconference.sched.org/ from which there Reported by: Ramune K. Kubilius (Northwestern University, are links to many presentations’ PowerPoint slides and handouts, as Galter Health Sciences Library)
54 Against the Grain / June 2017
The Odd Couple: University Libraries and Book Stores Team Mapping the Free Ebook Supply Chain — Presented by Up to Reduce Textbooks Costs for Students — Presented by Rebecca Welzenbach (Moderator, Michigan Publishing); Teresa Hazen (The University of Arizona); Niamh Rupert Gatti (Open Book Publishers); Eric Hellman Wallace (The University of Arizona) (Unglue.it); Jill O’Neill (NISO) Reported by: Julie Gaida (Pacific University) Reported by: Michael Rodriguez (University of Connecticut)
Preservation of Digital Collections and Dark Archives — Implications of BIBFRAME and Linked Data for Libraries Presented by Craig Van Dyck (CLOCKSS), Michelle Paolillo & Publishers — Presented by Michael Pelikan (Penn State (Cornell University); David Pcolar (Digital Preservation Information Technology Services, Emerging Technologies Network); Greg Suprock (Apex CoVantage); Group); Michele Casalini (Casalini Libri); John Jabin White (Ithaka/JSTOR) Richardson (Zepheira Technologies LLC); Dennis Brunning (Moderator, Arizona State University) Reported by: Katherine Ahnberg (University of South Florida)
Reported by: Anna R. Craft (The University of North Carolina While many library and information professionals are familiar with at Greensboro)
Against the Grain / June 2017
Reported by: Crystal Hampson (University of Saskatchewan) Quantifying the Impacts of Investment in Humanities Archives
Reported by: Crystal Hampson (University of Saskatchewan) This session presented the results of a study of articles found free-
Seeing that Students Succeed: Rising Expectations and the Reported by: Ramune K. Kubilius (Northwestern University, Library’s Role in Teaching and Learning — Presented by Galter Health Sciences Library)
8 Library Services That Will... “ Things always go smoothly with Make You Smile. Emery-Pratt. Their people are 1) Publishing Sources - Almost 200,000 at our disposal 2) New Title Selection Plan - Immediate notifi cation knowledgeable, 3) Electronic Ordering - Simple online ordering system and always provide 4) Early Release Program - Immediate availability guarantee friendly, rapid 5) Cataloging - We do the busy-work for you service.” 6) Comprehensive Reporting - Up-to-the-minute Cameron University Lawton, OK order status 7) Duplicate Order Alert - We’re on guard, you avoid hassles 8) Paperback Reinforcement & Binding Avoid expensive wear & obsolescence Dependability. Reliability. Smileability. For more details, visit: emery-pratt.com 1966 W M 21, Owosso, MI 48867-9317 Phone: 800 248-3887 • Fax: 800 523-6379 emery-pratt.com
it’s being hosted by Charleston-based BiblioBoard, a cross-platform And They Were There system that allows multi-user access to digitally based information. from page 56 Davis stressed that open educational resources (OER) with unlimited simultaneous user and peer review will be the industry’s revolution. Student-user experience of this pilot has been overwhelmingly posi- The Evolution of E-books — Presented by Tony Horava tive, and access to OERs has the potential to save students thousands (Moderator, University of Ottawa); Mitchell Davis (BiblioLabs); of dollars. BiblioBoard still seeks to realize consistent returns even James O’Donnell (Arizona State University Libraries); as access to the lucrative e-textbook market is sought by competitors David Durant (East Carolina University) such as Amazon.
Reported by: Susan Whiteman (University at Albany Libraries) That’s all the reports we have room for in this issue. Watch for
Against the Grain / June 2017
uring my forty years as a librarian, I was under control, I went down to the first were not checked out or already designated as thought I had seen it all. At least that floor and got the Circulation and Collection “Lost.” All three areas were cordoned off from Dis how I felt when the Library Dean Management staff, along with the Cataloging public access. Humidifiers ran for 24 hours asked me to substitute for him at a two-day and Systems librarians to form a triage system. for several days. Lyrasis workshop on “Disaster Preparedness” We put tables together to put the books on, so After the books were returned from the that was being held at Fisk University for they could dry out and then we gathered up restoration facility, the Circulation Staff un- Nashville area historically black colleges and every fan we could find and placed them where boxed them and used Circa inventory to scan universities (HBCUs). In addition to Tennes- they could blow on the tables. them in, because we thought the job would get see State University, librarians and staff from The two Catalogers went to the shelves done quicker. When that project was finished, Meharry Medical College and American to pull the books that showed evidence of the staff then sorted out the books which did Baptist College attended. dampness. The Systems/Metadata Librarian not show any sign of water damage. They During the workshop, which was led by supervised the team that sorted the books that were re-shelved after the status was changed Annie Peterson, we discussed various de- could be salvaged, from those that needed to go from “Flood Damaged” to “Available.” The structive scenarios and how to manage them. on the tables. The Circulation staff pulled the damaged books were put on a cart for me We also did a hands on exercise, where we books off the shelves that were in the flooded to evaluate and the government documents divided into teams to make decisions about area, which might have gotten damp from were put on a separate cart for that librarian materials (books, videotapes, CDs, etc.,) that spillage, if it continued to spread. They also to assess. The Systems/Metadata Librarian were sitting in a trash can with water. Since arranged the books on the tables to dry out. created a revised list of flood damaged books our library has a relatively new roof, I was all We ended up with a large cart of books which and we matched her spreadsheet to the books but certain that catastrophic flooding would be were soaked to the point that some were already on the cart. the least of my worries. beginning to show discoloration. Our next task was to document the replace- Then one late September 2016, near closing We were in the process of searching for ment cost of each title. We deleted books from time around 10:45 PM, a student went into the replacements for the damaged books, when it the list that were duplicates of print titles or we men’s room on the third floor of the library and was brought to my attention that as a public already had in eBook format. We identified flushed a urinal, which overflowed and would university, we were subject to state property books that were no longer available in paper, not stop. Water rushed out of the restroom on to procedures for floods. Two claims adjusters but were available electronically. We identified the carpet in the stacks. He reported the prob- from the company contracted by the state of titles that were minimally affected and could lem to the Reference staff on the second floor. Tennessee to handle flood damage surveyed the go back to the shelves, as well as those that They could see that water was beginning to drip areas the next day and explained the procedure only had cover damage and needed to be sent down from the third floor onto the books and for books. A restoration company would check to the bindery. the carpeted area in front of the Government each book in the flood area with instruments For books that remained on the spreadsheet, Document area, so they moved those to tables. designed to detect dampness and pull those we went to Amazon.com and listed the new When Emergency or Facilities Management that tested for a certain percentage. Damp or used price. If a title had a new edition, we arrived around midnight, they gathered the books would be pulled from the shelves, boxed cited that edition and its price. If a book had waste baskets from around the floor, many up and sent to be freeze dried at a facility in dated content, we substituted a contemporary already filled with trash, and placed them under Fort Worth, Texas for several weeks. When title, color coded it purple and listed its price. the dripping ceiling. Everybody went home. the books were returned, we would make an For those books that we could not locate in At 6:40 AM the next morning, the Acqui- assessment of what could be retained and what Amazon or identify a suitable replacement, we sitions Senior Library Assistant called me at needed to be replaced. The claims adjusters listed the current average price of an academic home for the first time in our nineteen years of said they had dealt with a flood situation at library book ($72.31) in Library and Book working together to say that water was stream- another university, so they were familiar with Trade Annual 2016 (Bowker). We submitted ing down from the ceiling on the second floor issues that might arise in an academic library. the completed spreadsheet with explanations onto the books on the first floor and that it was All of this took place very quickly, so some to the claims adjuster, who requested that we all coming from the third. She had gotten a cart procedures were afterthoughts. For instance, take a 15%-20% depreciation for the $72.31 and was moving as many as she could. When the restoration company checked the books for quote, which brought our replacement cost for I arrived, I found the third floor carpeted area moisture and packed them over the weekend. books no longer available to $57.85 or $61.46. in the L through R section, completed soaked Nobody counted the books being taken off the Our total replacement cost for 294 books was and squishy. This included a Special Collec- shelf, so the restoration company had to do it quoted at $22,147.81. tions room dedicated to a State Senator. Boxes after the books had left the library and they There were two important takeaways for that held his donations showed serious water counted 3,641. We also did not have a list of me. First, the library staff should create a list of seepage. The second floor had small ponds, the books removed, so the Systems /Metadata the books in all of the flood areas immediately. because the waste baskets left the night before Librarian created a spreadsheet in our online Secondly, if an outside company is removing had quickly overflowed to the point where the system (Sierra) that listed all of the books in books, the library should request that the carpet had shallow pools that caused water to the ranges within the flood zone. She globally company provide a count of the books before flow, not drip, down to the first floor where changed the location for each book on the they remove them from the campus. When the there was real collection damage. Some of the spreadsheet to “Flood Area.” The Circulation books were returned, I noticed that the outside books in the E through H section were soaking Staff then did an inventory with our Circa of the box had the count for the number con- wet, while others were visibly moist. equipment to determine which titles remained tained within. I would like to have matched One of the custodians helped me empty on the shelves and their status was changed up numbers before they left the campus. Some flooded waste baskets on the second floor, so back to available. Those that were missing boxes had four books and were mostly full of that they could take on more water. When that were designated as “Flood Damaged,” if they continued on page 61
58 Against the Grain / June 2017
n real estate the key is location, location as you pass attendees going to the next ses- My next session was another program and location. For professional library sion. The ER&L attendees are the very ones from the Emerging Technology track titled Imeetings while location is often a factor buying the eBooks, journal packages and the “The Future of Discovery: Hyperknowledge” it is really content, content, and content that group more willing to experiment with new which featured a research application sold by drives the attendees to resister and attend a systems and services. Attendees that I talked Yewno. I am not sure what I was really seeing particular meeting. In the case of the ER&L to were excited about the opportunity that they in that Yewno, corp.yewno.com, is supposed Conference, that content is the handiwork of have to share experiences with like-minded to be a next generation discovery system that Elizabeth Winter from Georgia Tech and her people who are actually performing similar uses semantically related concepts to build a Program Planning Committee who year after work. human-like inference. The Stonehill College year produce one of the best meetings for all This year the opening keynote was given library is using Yewno as their Discovery aspects of electronic resources for both the by Anna Lauren Hoffman a postdoctoral service and it is unclear to me if the system library and the publishing communities. I do scholar from the School of Information at has the scalability to perform all the discovery believe that part of the outstanding program the University of California, Berkeley who functions or if this is more of a prototype. The content is due to having the same person as spoke on the topic of Data Violence: Dignity, spokesman from Yewno was Jason Chabak program chair. Elizabeth has been the Pro- Discrimination and Algorithmic Identity. The and he was a very enthusiastic salesman and gram Planning Chair since ER&L’s beginning. talk was well received and what I took away promoter of his service. Committee members come and go but the was a greater understanding of the difficulties I then selected a Collection Development institutional knowledge is enriched each year of transgender women trying to work with in- session on the Charlotte Initiative for Per- and every year the content becomes stronger. stitutionalized systems that are designed poorly manent Acquisitions of Ebooks by Academic It also helps in the planning phase to get input and only reflect traditional sexual orientation Libraries funded by Mellon and reported by from the community and they vote on what which deprives certain people the social bases October Ivins. It is great that Mellon has the they want to see. Brilliant! of self-respect. I could not help but think that resources to fund this type of project. Many or- It is hard to believe that the idea started ER&L has come a long way since the standard ganizations were involved in this two plus year by Bonnie Tijerina at Georgia Tech in 2006 “how my library handles e-materials” opening program to consider how to sell publishers on would grow to nearly 1,000 attendees from all keynote given in 2006. the concept of making their eBooks a permanent over the world. The meeting does not have any After the opening keynote the attendees acquisition to the collection. In the print world official society or membership group backing are given a wide choice of over 100 programs a library buys one book and shares it one person it; it is the work of Bonnie and Sandy Tijerina and sessions divided into seven tracks: Man- at a time, but when you buy or lease an eBook and their committees that come together each aging e-Resources & Licensing, Collection you buy one copy and would like to share it year to produce one of their outstanding library Development and Assessment, Organiza- simultaneously with anyone or everyone that meetings. The Charleston Conference and tional Strategies, External Relationships, wants to use it. I may be oversimplifying the ER&L are the two premier library meetings in User Experience & Promotion, Scholarly situation but most of the university press books the U.S. having long surpassed ALA, ACRL, Communication & Library Publishing and except textbooks are often never used to start and NASIG as the meetings to attend. Emerging Technology & Trends. With 1,000 with so why worry about it. However college ER&L has a strong vendor and sponsor- attendees and over 100 different programs it is textbooks in my opinion should not be included ship involvement and at this year’s meeting hard to find a balance between the numbers of in this category and most publishers will not there was a full day for exhibitors for some 80 seats you will need for each session. In some want to sell one textbook to a campus and then companies. Having publishers and content situations there were overflow rooms set up have unlimited use on campus. The bookstore providers on the program as speakers helps and they helped to accommodate over booking still makes some money selling textbooks. In to cross fertilize the attendees with important a session. In general the rooms were sort of fact, I am not sure that libraries should be pro- interaction between librarians and the compa- self-policing. In most cases many of us had vided textbooks as part of their service. nies that they depend upon and it gives new three different sessions that they wanted to hear Continuing on the Collection Development companies an opportunity to get feedback on at the same time period so if one was full, you tract there was an interesting session offered their products and services. Another good idea went on to your second choice. from two BYU staff on “Doing More with is having sponsored sessions which are really My own choice of sessions included a few your Data.” I was delighted to see a computer an opportunity for companies to have a time from the Emerging Technologies, Collection professional was involved in the data collecting period for more in-depth discussion of their Development, and Managing Resources and analysis phase. Evidence based decision product or service. Also in this category are tracks. I was interested to hear the session making is an important tool in library man- the Lunch & Learn sessions which are another “why doesn’t everyone love reading eBooks.” agement and too often decisions are based on opportunity for a vendor to have a captive au- The session was presented by Caroline Myr- emotion or personality or on who screams the dience and an opportunity to educate attendees berg from Karolinska Institute and her views loudest. I enjoyed the session and know that on a particular service. EBSCO and ProQuest were European in nature but not that much many libraries could arrange for better services are especially good at using this opportunity to different from the research on eBook usage by using data analysis of their usage data. I am advance their latest offering. here in the U.S. Users hate DRM controls and not taking about Counter data. Generally when I attend library meetings many report navigation issues along with the The final session that I attended was from most of the attendees are 50 plus years old problem of poor design when switching from Managing e-Resources and was a case study but in the case of ER&L the average age ap- smartphone, tablet, to laptop. The font and on “Consortial Licensing: Lessons learned from pears to be about 35 or less which makes this general design issues are perhaps universal. SCELC and A&M-SA Joint Vendor Negotia- meeting a special place for vendors to interact Many users like the printed book as a format tions.” The biggest takeaway was, lay out the with a group of librarians that have enormous and have difficulty using a mechanical device facts and ask nicely! SCELC has long been my buying power and who seldom attend major to replicate that experience. For the foreseeable posterchild for a well-managed and financially professional meetings. There is an unusually future it appears we are going to have both viable consortium so I was not too surprised strong level of energy flowing in the hallways printed books and eBooks. continued on page 61 Against the Grain / June 2017
cademic libraries are developing major consideration for libraries creating mobile (QR) codes in libraries, the availability of mobile initiatives to support the pop- websites includes decisions on optimizing con- short message services, and mobile application Aularity of these devices on campus tent or developing a native application. development for libraries. We considered the (Kim, 2013). Paralleling librarians’ interest It is essential that web enabled mobile primary focus on the material in our assignment in creating mobile services are activities at the devices are mobile friendly, especially for of a theme for each paper. international and national level to foster these access to library resources such as catalogs The largest number of papers included efforts. Academic Libraries Mobile Initiatives and databases. Kim (2013) notes the difficulty research librarians conducted to direct their and Research from 2010 to the Present: Identi- in navigating a non-optimized website on a development of mobile services and resources. fying Themes in the Literature showcases these smartphone. Web usability from mobile de- The majority of this material tracked librarians’ initiatives. The research especially supports vices can be improved by mobilizing a website efforts to reveal students’ mobile habits utiliz- academic librarians in the development of or utilizing a dedicated (native) application. ing surveys, focus groups, and observations. mobile initiatives by illustrating trends in the Caniano and Catalano, (2014) describe an app The remaining papers illustrated librarians’ creation of these services and highlighting best or application as “a small software application efforts to identify mobile services provided by practices in their implementation. designed for a specific function” (299). Native other academic libraries and potential projects Statistics support librarians’ adoption apps promote usability on mobile devices for their institutions. of mobile services and resources for users. through their display of information in a menu The second largest body in the literature Business Insider noted one in every 17 indi- format (Aldrich, 2010). highlighted librarians’ efforts to mobilize their viduals worldwide owned a tablet and research Optimizing content on mobilized websites resources and services. Within these papers, suggested their adop- supports navigation and we identified the following topics including: tion rate was exceeding usability by eliminating is- the overall process of mobilizing the library’s smartphones (Heggestuen, sues with small screen size website, mobilizing specific content for the 2013). Mobile devices or and keyboards (Aldrich, website, mobilizing library services, reducing web enabled smartphones 2010). Both optimizing the cost of mobile services and resources, and remain particularly popu- content and developing a promoting libraries’ mobile services. lar among college students native application offers We also found a sizable number of papers and technology is increas- advantages and disad- that discussed the use of tablets in libraries ing in importance in high- vantages. Kim (2013) for delivering services and resources. These er education, especially suggests mobile optimized papers focused on the delivery of reference in libraries. Mohamed websites are less costly services with tablets, the provision of instruc- (2014) suggested users’ and quicker to create, but tion with tablets, the availability of tablets for expectations on mobile they do not have as many circulation, and librarians’ use of tablets for access include the avail- diverse features as native non-reference duties. ability of library services applications. Still, native The use of QR codes to support mobile through these devices. applications are platform resources and services in libraries was also Foremost, smartphones and other mobile specific and require separate apps for different discussed. We found QR codes utilized for en- devices provide librarians new avenues to devices such as an iPhone and an Android hancing students’ awareness of library resources, deliver services for users such as reference, operating system (Bridges, Rempel & Griggs, fostering patrons’ access to the print collection instruction, and resources (Little, 2011). Lip- 2010; DeMars, 2012). and eBooks, and information literacy instruction. pincott (2010) believed mobile devices offer To identify articles describing academic A smaller segment of the material centered new instructional opportunities for librarians libraries’ mobile initiatives we searched library on libraries’ adoption of short message services that include teaching users how to access literature with various combinations of the fol- (SMS). These papers discussed the use of SMS and organize information and create mashups lowing keywords: mobile, tablet, iPad, device, for reference, the My Info Quest national text utilizing various sources. Still, the mobile rev- technology, application, phone, library, academ- reference collaborative project, and a pilot olution requires librarians to evaluate library ic, university, college, and higher education. We SMS initiative for article alerts. services and develop new ones to support truncated terms and limited the results to ma- The smallest number of material in the mobile patrons (Bell & Peters, 2013). terial published after 2009, to reflect the incor- literature included three papers that examined It remains important that librarians under- poration of emerging information technologies libraries’ use of mobile applications. This stand the myriad of issues surrounding libraries’ into libraries’ mobile initiatives. We focused material, unlike material discussed in another adoption of mobile services and resources. For on materials that discussed libraries’ mobile part of the review, did not focus on the use of example, Cyrus and Baggett (2012) and Cushon initiatives utilizing tablets or smartphones, and mobile applications to support students’ mobile (2013) note privacy concerns with the use of we also included papers that described mobile access to the catalog and website. All three of mobile services in libraries. In addition, Smith, initiative research in the review. the apps utilized by libraries were designed to Jacobs, Murphy, and Armstrong (2010) re- We reviewed 114 papers and identified six support students’ library use. mind us to assess user needs, staff skills, costs, as themes including: mobile initiative research re- Foremost, the literature review highlights well as the tool’s interoperability and longevity ports, efforts to mobilize services and resourc- the importance of librarians’ efforts to sup- in adopting new technology in the library. A es, librarians’ use of tablets, Quick Response continued on page 61
60 Against the Grain / June 2017
Collection Management Matters Straight Talk from page 58 from page 59 paper, while others boxes the same size could have 20 books or to hear their advice. On the other hand I know Rick Burke and his secret more. They could not provide an explanation for why they did it to managing a well-oiled machine often is much more than asking nicely. that way, but we retained the boxes, so that we could recycle them I missed the closing keynote speaker, Monica Bulger but knowing for our summer weeding projects. Bonnie and her criteria for speakers I would expect nothing but the best. We are currently awaiting the final approval of the insurance The 12th Annual Conference is over and the attendees got to choose adjuster. When the approval is provided, the university will transfer from many excellent programs and yes there were plenty of programs on the money into our book object code. I believe I was “prepared for Open Access, managing e-resources, emerging technologies and library a purpose” when I attended the Disaster Preparedness workshop. I publishing. There was something for everyone. even contacted Dr. Jessie Carney Smith, the Library Dean at Fisk Next year we all return to Austin for the 13th Annual Conference on and Annie Peterson, our Lyrasis trainer, to share that I had been March 4-7, 2018. I feel honored to have attended all but one of the ER&L able to convert my just in time knowledge into actual experience. meetings and I can say that they just keep getting better and better. A well The event absolutely reinforced for me the thought that librarianship organized, carefully planned and highly successful meeting produced by is a forever growing and evolving profession where you may need Bonnie and Sandy Tijerina and the many people who work so hard to any skill set you can acquire. make the meetings great each year.
Against the Grain / June 2017
Column Editor’s Note: In this month’s column, we feature the Being incredibly organized, the Clerk III prepared for her own experience of coping with a staff member’s planned and unplanned ab- leave. After a debriefing with the librarian, including sign on infor- sence. Caryl Ward, Head of Acquisitions from Binghamton University mation for her email and computer and credit card details, the entire Library (SUNY) describes how the Acquisitions Department handled unit gathered around her workstation to review the major duties and the workload for an unexpected lengthy staff absence. — SM & AM divvied up her major responsibilities. A few members of other Tech- nical Services units stepped in to assist. The Clerk III shared some clear instructions: The Situation • Problem order printouts were filed in logical order and an- Binghamton University, part of the 64 campus SUNY system, is a notated. This vendor has been contacted three times! / This mid-sized institution offering bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programs. book was received damaged — waiting for replacement! / This The Bartle, Science and University Downtown Center Libraries vendor charged us tax — waiting for reimbursement! etc. are centrally managed, with collections that consist of over 4 million • Forms for incoming material needing special processing were print and electronic books and over 125,000 electronic journals. With completed and left with notes. Notify Prof X / Show to Special 25 library faculty members, 36 professional and 22 classified staff Collections upon receipt members, the Libraries serve a growing campus of more than 13,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate students. Acquisitions is part of • Passwords were shared, and the staff watched while she signed Technical Services and has dwindled in the past few years from 13 into various systems (Amazon, GOBI, local shared files, the members to just five: The Unit Head (librarian); one professional; one unit’s email account, etc.) Clerk III and two Clerk IIs. Each person’s work is critical to the unit When the Clerk III finally went out, there were some bumps in the and to the provision of monographs to the campus. All employees are road but we hoped the trip would be short. We needed to schedule fre- unionized and the classified service positions are within the quent meetings in addition to the impromptu logistical purview of New York State Civil Service. Acquisitions exchanges to brainstorm on the fly. For example, one of members order, pay and copy catalog monographic the clerks noticed that the flow of printed invoices had print and electronic selections made by bibliographers diminished. They were being delivered to the Clerk III and administer English and foreign language print via email and were languishing in her inbox. This clerk approval plans. During the previous fiscal year, suggested filing them in a new folder after printing, so about 11,300 individual print and 1,360 eBooks everyone reviewing the email account would instantly were processed. eBooks are generally cataloged recognize that a new invoice needed attention. Bingo! within 2 business days and print within one week; Problem solved. invoices are processed in the integrated library sys- A few activities — like gathering certain statistics — tem (ALEPH) and forwarded to the campus business were suspended in the hopes that the leave would be brief office within 30 days. There is no cataloging backlog. and she’d catch up upon return. Amazon orders went on The Problem the back burner because of the complexities involved, including the use of a state credit card. This included out of print and replacement The Clerk III functions as office manager, coordinating the day to material orders, which are generally of a lower priority than current day ordering, receiving cataloging and payment functions, with a focus publications. The staff began to learn how much each person contributed on firm orders. She is respected and appreciated by subject librarians to the workflow and the significance of each procedure. The two Clerk because she can locate material at its best price and routes it appropri- IIs took the job to heart and it was only three weeks! Whew! ately. She deals with the routine and the impossible every day, never drops the ball, and serves as a model for the other clerks. Leave #2 — Oh No! Here We Go Again During the second half of the 2015-2016 academic year she had One month later, the Clerk III’s second leave began unexpected- to take two extended leaves of absence. The first was anticipated and ly in the middle of a work day. We had no idea it would last four scheduled several weeks beforehand but her return date was uncertain. months, extending through fiscal year close, and the rollover to new It turned out to be about 3 weeks. One month later a second leave was year. It all began to seem overwhelming — we couldn’t ignore the necessary, beginning abruptly, with no advance notice or return date. non-routine firm orders for too long, but the challenges were forbid- It stretched out for four months, during the busy end of fiscal year ding. The two Clerk IIs still had to cover their own jobs and now buying cycle. we faced an empty chair for an uncertain period. How much time We had to identify her essential duties and determine which we could would it take to learn all her tasks? The order and billing processes reassign. But what could we let go? What lessons would be learned? via state credit cards are cumbersome but necessary for Amazon which is the best vendor choice for many films, replacement books, Leave #1 — How We Planned For It and rush requests. The numerous steps involved in firm orders for The Acquisitions and Technical Services staff were cognizant of the course reserves and notifies are straightforward but these are best importance of the Clerk III’s work and very willing to pitch in during handled by one person from start to finish. Those attributed to grants her absence. But there were knowledge gaps and a long learning curve and other “non-state” funds require special handling and process- for some of the duties. One concern was working out of grade — be- ing — again, best if one person has responsibility. Procurement ing in a union environment most of the Clerk III’s duties are uniquely from Asian vendors can be tricky: advertised material is not always performed by her and there was no designated backup. With several available, delivery can take months and the language barriers make weeks’ head start, it was possible to pinpoint necessary tasks and des- problem solving frustrating and time consuming. The Clerk III had ignate staff to cover them. continued on page 63
62 Against the Grain / June 2017
POSITION TITLE: Head of Acquisitions and Collections Management Librarian COLLEGE/DEPARTMENT OR UNIT: Ida Jane Dacus Library LIBRARY JOB PURPOSE: Dacus Library sees an acquisition librarian ready to work with all formats, print, electronic, and operations with respect to ordering, fund invoicing, verification materials, physical processing. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: https://apply.interfolio.com/41711
Working “out of grade” problems did not occur. Clerks stepped up Let’s Get Technical in the knowledge the situation was temporary, and we were fortunate from page 62 to have professional employees from other units assisting. Cross training is essential. (DUH!) If it is unrealistic to have all developed effective routines and relationships over time. The end staff fully cross trained, it is imperative at least that other people know of the year was fast approaching. what each person does so that no tasks are left out of the workflow. It’s been said that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Assistance from other units is helpful but not fully effective if the During this second leave, the clerks cooperated to support their absent members are not dedicated full time. colleague. Together with the professional employee, they began to Vendors were understanding of the situation and cooperated with assume responsibility for the Clerk III’s job and ensure that the unit the staff who filled in. ran smoothly. • They suggested more formal meetings, which became very The Results productive as specific problems were addressed and clerks All important work got done, and subject librarians were respectful proposed solutions. of this. The most important tasks of procuring and paying for current • They kept the Acquisitions librarian informed via email of imprints of print and electronic books were successfully completed routine and unusual situations that they might have conveyed during the Clerk III’s absence. to the Clerk III. She did not come back to a disaster, although she did have to catch up on out of print and replacement ordering. Upon reflecting • Staff who might not have otherwise proposed change were on her absence, the Clerk III had these words of advice: Keep it or- enthusiastic and proactive about covering for a co-worker. ganized! Post notes on order records or on paper copies of orders, • They spoke up when they noticed something falling off the make copious printouts, and be cognizant that you never know when radar screen. For example: Printed invoices sitting in a bin you might be out. for several days. She returned to a stronger team that had better communication, • They suggested modifying routines. For example: The Clerk including more frequent and productive meetings. Some of the III maintained a log of invoices received by each staff member. temporary changes, like moving printed invoices into a folder, and They began updating it themselves. individuals updating the invoice log, were retained by the Clerk • Staff from other units added to the effort by processing in- III. The Clerk IIs are activating their own statistics in a shared filed voices and copy cataloging. worksheet each month. The lasting impact is that everyone now has a better understanding Lessons Learned and appreciation of everyone’s responsibilities. With a shared sense of The world didn’t come to an end when we stopped compiling some purpose, the unit is functioning more efficiently than before. statistics.
Against the Grain / June 2017
alespeople, especially those whose job of fact, the information professional is doing of the budget which corresponds to the price it is to call on libraries face a number of that salesperson a favor because a rep’s time of the product presented. So, let’s assume, the Schallenges in closing the deal for a library is better spent with interested prospects than librarian is fully aware of what can be spent to buy the company’s product. A common those who are unable to buy. to purchase the item presented. Now begins roadblock in attempting to derail a possible sale On the other hand, if the library agrees to a series of questions and answers designed is the classic excuse used by many an informa- see the rep even though they know that there to remove all roadblocks, thus allowing the tion professional when they say, “we have no is no hope of a sale any time soon, then that is purchase to be completed. money to buy new resources.” Virtually every not right unless the rep knows up front that a “Mary, I am intrigued by this new database sales rep in our business has heard this excuse sale is not forthcoming in the immediate future. and I know it will be well received here at the li- countless times in their careers. It seems that Salespeople in the information industry or any brary. Can you tell me how much it will cost?” this is the fail-safe rationale for not buying a industry for that matter must be fastidious in product while still being nice to the salesperson. “Given that this is a new product, the even- the management of their time. By visiting a tual selling price will be $15,500, but since it is Yes, we all realize that libraries constantly library without knowing in advance that the so new, the company is giving a 15% discount face funding difficulties, but when a valuable, chances of a sale are non-existent is simply a to early adopters, so your cost would be $13, new eContent product comes to market, both waste of everyone’s time. 175 for the first year,” Mary replies. the salesperson and the library person are So, let’s assume that Mary the salesper- Sounds like a nice deal, but Mary needs to tasked to get together and figure out a way to son for a major aggregator has just called be pushed for a better one. Perhaps asking for finalize a purchase that results in a mutually the Schliderman Memorial Library at Dust that initial price to be frozen for next year’s acceptable solution for both parties. Whether University. The librarian is intrigued with the renewal or asking to be a beta test site for half it’s cancelling a product in lieu of the new one brief description of the database, is not sure if the quoted price in year one or just simply ask- or getting a special deal from the company, all the funding will be available but nevertheless ing for a deeper discount should be considered avenues of possibilities must be pursued to get invites Mary to the campus and tells her about responses when the price is given. the deal done. In a business that thrives on new the uncertain funding situation once again. As technologies, funding should not stand in the they meet, and discuss the pros & cons of the Depending on Mary’s incentives to make way of acquiring new content. Any salesperson product, it is clear that there is interest and as the sale happen and the library’s ability to that walks away from a potential deal after such, funds may be available for a purchase. have the budget to buy, the fourth (and most hearing the “no money” excuse is not doing For both parties, they have reached the second important) moment of truth has been put into their job and needs to explore as many ways moment of truth. play. How far will the company go to satisfy as possible to make the deal happen. the customer? How far will the library go to It is at this point that Mary has to begin get the best deal possible? And now, the serious At the outset of the buying and selling pro- to review the needs of the library with the negotiations begin. cess, it’s in everyone’s best interest to review information professional so that both parties the library’s purchasing procedure. What is are on the same page. Mary should review The selling process is one in which a good the funding situation? If funding is an issue, her notes at the conclusion of the meeting with salesperson overcomes whatever objections how can that be overcome? Who are the main her counterpart and highlight all the needs are posed by the buyer with positive responses people at the library that will ultimately decide expressed by the library person and describe that will overcome the roadblocks seemingly on buying or not? What incentives are needed how the new product will fulfill and hopefully preventing the purchase. by the buyer to help make the deal happen? If surpass those needs. Once that mutual review Too often, a salesperson will return from a an order is forthcoming, how long will it take is completed, Mary will probably say, “Given meeting with a prospect and tell the sales man- to materialize into a signed agreement? that the database I just described will solve a ager that a sale could not be made because the Of course, the first step in the process is for number of your library’s needs, what is the library said that they have no money for pur- the sales rep to contact the library, to present next step in order approval process?” And chase. The salesperson should have inquired the finer points of the product to be here ladies and gentlemen, is the ever in advance about the funding possibilities and sold and gauge the interest of the so crucial third moment of truth. know what the company is willing to do to librarian. The deal falls apart To counteract the “we have make the sale happen. And the information here if there is no interest on no money for new resources” professional should always share with the the part of the library. What- excuse, Mary needs to be- salesperson the realistic budget possibilities. ever the reason, this is the first gin the discussion with an Making the deal happen is all about knock- moment of truth in the buying open ended question, such ing down roadblocks that get in the way of a and selling process. Don’t as, “Given all the ways in sale. Price is always the easiest roadblock to like the product? Don’t have which this new product will surmount. Discounts, extended payments, the money? Don’t want to be undoubtedly save you time flat renewals in the following years, beta test bothered? This the time to tell and money while providing an site, etc., are all ways to help the client with the rep that it is in no one’s best excellent resource for faculty justifying the price. There are technical issues, interest to continue the discussion for whatever and students, alike, what would you expect to content issues, platform issues, etc., that must the reason. And that’s fine because sales reps pay for this valuable database?” While Mary be also dealt with, but if the sales rep and the in our business have monthly/yearly sales goals may not get an answer about specific dollars librarian are both willing to negotiate in good and are tasked with speaking to a wide array of in the budget, she has laid the groundwork faith, a deal can be struck. prospects. So if Library A says “no” then it’s for a discussion on how much money it will In the ’60s the group The Youngbloods time to call Library B, C, D, etc. No database take to buy her new product. had a hit record written by Jesse Colin Young publisher/aggregator produces a product to be The ball is now in the library’s court. There called “Get Together.” Getting Together is sold to just one library. So declining to see the is an expectation on the part of the salesperson what making the deal happen is all about. rep is not necessarily a bad thing. As a matter that the information professional is fully aware continued on page 66
64 Against the Grain / June 2017
hose who have followed this column and archives to preserve and give access to the of national holdings and disclosed retention since its inception by Sam Demas in many formats that record potentially useful in- commitments, and b) researchers to discover T2011/12 have read about any number of formation. A vision of unity or at least sharing individual copies that suit their needs accord- kinds or aspects of collections collaboration. I and cooperation has informed the aspirations ing to accurate and complete holdings, usage, took over the editorship from Sam in 2014 and of U.S. libraries since the later 19th Century, condition, and related artifactual data. CRL have decided that this column will be my last. but the realities of being run by a species that has been making the case for accurate and I am taking the valedictory opportunity the is territorially, hierarchically, and competitively complete serials holdings data, and Andrew column affords to reflect on current develop- minded means that libraries have made as much Stauffer and colleagues at UVa have been ments in shared print collections, particularly messiness from manyness as they have unity. working on ways to include copy-specific of monographs. In a column about the role of open access monograph metadata in library catalogs, but the I had thought to conclude my editorship publishing in librarians’ thinking about shared community has yet to agree to working on this otherwise and less personally by fingering collections (September, 2016, 28:4, 87), I kind of data because at first blush it seems to friends in the shared collections community cited a book chapter I co-authored with John be cost-prohibitive and to take time away from and challenging them to address a request McDonald in which we suggested ways and other activities seen as more important. We from that proverbial “man,” or, in this case, means for achieving a shared model for collec- need more experiments and more data about librarian from Mars, who, having kept close tions.1 I’d like to refer readers to that chapter metadata strategies, and we need OCLC, as watch on the library collections scene here on as well as to an essay I wrote for another a membership cooperative, to make services Planet Earth through their biblioscope, wants book, Rethinking Collection Development and available to its members on terms that are at- to understand better the future of shared (print) Management,2 and a couple of pieces I wrote tractive and geared to encouraging scholarship. collections in the USA. Instead of asking to with Lizanne Payne3 for lengthier treatment of As a bonus, we need to Amazonify the catalog be taken to our leader, the Martian seeks to some of the issues enumerated below. Here’s a so that, whether using the texts available in the speak with the many leaders that collaborative want-list, though, for whose fulfillment I will HathiTrust digital library or purpose-created collections work at once and requires them to be watching from the safe distance of “life after sample text, readers can more readily browse share their thoughts on 1) the state of play, 2) ATG.” I also take cues in compiling my list and select from the library on the local shelf, where they see the state of play in 10 years, 3) from the questions with which Susan Stearns where a good many of the books are out on what’s missing from the current game, and 4) and colleagues concluded a piece for this loan, and the vast distributed library housed other thoughts as to the means, column on their work in EAST elsewhere. materials, or goals of shared (November, 2016, 28:5, 88). 3. Based on the work that Ian Bogus (Uni- collections. For bonus points, 1. We4 need to untangle what versity of Pennsylvania) and colleagues5 are my Martian contact is interested we mean by “books and “reading” pursuing in the print preservation community, to know how the U.S. library in order to better talk about the use we need to integrate the traditional concerns of community thinks about the inter- cases for books and the implica- that community for single objects and the risk national shared collections picture tions for those cases of digitized analyses by which they prioritize treatment of and the conditions under which it text, off-site book housing and those objects with the concerns of the shared will fill in. access, electronic systems for print community for large-, even national-scale Having had this bright idea, discovery and browsing, etc. I alignment of local collection and space man- I quickly realized I had fingered had thought at one time to write agement practices. Bogus and colleagues my friends often enough for contributions to a piece for this column entitled “The Tyranny have engaged Candace Yano of UC Berkeley this column and decided instead to respond of the Book” in which I would discuss how the to extend to monographs the optimal copies unsystematically myself to this extraterrestrial success of the bound printed codex has made work she did for Ithaka S+R on journals, and request before Elon Musk colonizes the Red thinking otherwise about the packaging and use the group’s interests in withdrawal policies Planet. As my title suggests, I take as my text of long-form content almost impossible for a and technologies for testing materials have the motto on the Great Seal of the United States great number of readers. From this perspective, implications for the goals shared print projects of America as it appears on the verso of the the book is a lesson in how a successful tech- should achieve. $Ones in your wallet or wadded in the bottom nology can limit, or even preempt discussion 4. We need a new organization or coalition of your pocket or handbag — money being the of, how that technology fits into changing of existing organizations to develop policy and root of a lot of possibilities as well as much evil circumstances, affects experimentation, or governance structures and a business model for and always a question when it comes to library impedes adjustment to new institutions and moving us from locally held and maintained to collections, shared or otherwise. cultural practices or forms. The naturaliza- collectively held and maintained print collec- “Out of many, one” is, of course, a lovely tion of the printed book has established it in tions. Put another way, we need to establish and inspiring idea, but as the history of the a culturally privileged position and produced a national shared collection using the models country has amply demonstrated and the most a certain sense of what we do when we read, now extant and determine whether local storage recent presidential election proved, and con- how we interact with information, and how the hubs can mature and federate into a national tinues to prove daily, we’re all pretty sure we act of reading relates to our body and mind. service network. Put yet another way, we need, in the USA are many according to any number Books have effected wonderful results for vast on the one hand, organizations that take a mem- of dimensions along which we might arrange populations in the last 650 years and more; at bership approach and are accountable to their human differences. We have a lot of trouble the same time, the very naturalness of what member “stockholders” for specific programs understanding who or what is included in we do when we read with a book hampers our and, on the other, academic libraries that are “one,” let alone how “one” comes about. Al- exploring what and how we might do otherwise funded by their home institutions, grants, and though shared or collective library collections with long-form texts, including housing them states to combine their individual interests in and their management may not rise to the level in libraries. a common agenda that moves their desire for of consequence for the history of the planet 2. In order to encourage historical scholar- distinguishing themselves to grounds other as defining a polity in which “manyness” is ship, we need to establish efficient, cost-effec- than how big their circulating collection is, how productive of unity, the future of teaching and tive methods for metadata creation, recording, many members they have, how many projects scholarship depends to a large extent on the and sharing that allow a) libraries and library they initiate, etc.6 individual and collective efforts of libraries groups to manage collections in the context continued on page 66
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66 Against the Grain / June 2017
Column Editor’s Note: In my prior column, I introduced the Belmont Abbey College Quality En- hancement Plan 2010-2015, which was titled PILOT: Promoting Information Literacy Over Time (see ATG v.29#2, April 2017, p.52). In this column, number two of a projected three-column sequence, I provide some assessment highlights from our PILOT information literacy initiative through various longitudinal and sampling measures. — DB
n first conceptualizing the anticipated ten-year project, our initial effort was to articulate goals, Iactivities, and assessments in considerable detail for the first five-year segment (Phase One), but to leave the follow-up five-year segment (Phase Two) less specifi- Table 1: Two SAILS Cycles of Freshman/Senior Scoring, comparing “Average cally defined, anticipating that mid-course corrections scores by group.” Average scores for “groups” here are for freshmen in 2010 compared would be made based on assessment findings from the to seniors in PILOT disciplines in 2014, and freshmen in 2011 compared to seniors in first five years. With the ETS suspension of iSkills, PILOT disciplines in 2015. The average score for each group is reported as a number and our subsequent migration to SAILS, which placed placed on a scale that ranges from 0 to 1000. total focus on IL skills and competencies, IT-specific elements were then shifted back to the College’s Computer Competency different.” Eight of eight measurements showed improvement in group testing / CS101 program. Total focus was placed on the six ACRL IL score averages. In only one of those eight measurements was there an competency standards of 2000, which our 2009 QEP Proposal identified overlap in the standard error ± range (component #3 for 2010-2014). (p. 21) as the specific learning outcomes our QEP is designed to improve. Thus, seven of the eight improvements shown in Table 1 (above) are Other decisions about secondary assessments included which should statistically significant. be longitudinal, measured each year of the project, and which should Table 2 (below) shows a comparison of raw skills scoring for seniors be based on periodic sampling. We decided that the primary testing in the PILOT disciplines from 2014 and 2015. Our focus here is a instrument (first iSkills, then SAILS) should clearly be longitudinal, check for any possible loss of project momentum by the later years of administered each year to incoming freshmen, with those scores then Phase One. The SAILS senior results from 2014 to 2015 show great compared to graduating seniors after normal four-year matriculation. consistency — even improvement — and certainly no evidence of a For Phase One, graduating seniors in the five PILOT disciplines would decline in project momentum. be tested. Thus, from the beginning of our QEP, we un- derstood that we would need to test freshmen globally, since very few will have decided on a major, whereas seniors from the five initial PILOT disciplines could be readily self-selected for testing. During the 2009 onsite campus visit, we inquired with the SACS QEP review team about this procedural aspect of Phase One testing Table 2: Raw Skills Scoring for Seniors in the PILOT disciplines, 2014 and 2015. and received no objections. By Phase Two, consider- ation would be given to extending the IL initiative and senior testing to Database Full-text Pageview Downloads: Longitudinal all degree disciplines across the curriculum. Of course, our other major It was also decided that we should include another longitudinal longitudinal assessment (discussed later) — full-text pageview down- measure based on actual student use of online databases in the course loads from EBSCO databases (abbreviated as FT-Views) — is provably of research. To avoid “apples and oranges” comparison pitfalls, we global, as NCLIVE’s statistical tracking utility draws no distinctions searched for the most stable and consistent measurement available. The between freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. statewide NCLIVE library consortium tracks research database usage on SAILS Testing Results: Longitudinal an annual basis for each participating college, including logons, searches, The scoring for two SAILS cycles of freshman / senior scoring is full-text pageview downloads, and so forth. Each of these measures featured in Table 1. These SAILS results show clear and consistent can be broken down by institution, as well as by individual databases evidence of improved student IL understandings and skill-sets over the and clusters of databases. Because NCLIVE had licensed a broad two four-year cycles for which comparative testing has been conducted. selection of EBSCO databases for years with no changes anticipated, SAILS combines tested skills scoring into four components, representing this was viewed as the best longitudinal candidate. Among the possible learning outcomes targeted for improvement on p. 21 of our 2009 QEP specific measures, tracking of “logons” or “searches” risked conflation Proposal. Students were tested over two freshmen-to-senior cycles, of student utilization in actual research with librarians demonstrating resulting in four SAILS reports summarizing the eight total measure- these logon and searching functionalities in their own IL instructional ments. All eight of those measurements showed scoring improvement. sessions. It was decided, therefore, that full-text pageview downloads The SAILS report notes, “Standard errors above and below the [aver- (abbreviated as “FT-Views”) was the tracking measure that best mini- age] score are indicated with ±…To determine whether two groups mized risk of conflation. This measure also offered the best potential to are significantly different from each other, see whether the ranges of capture successful improvement of IL-related learning outcomes, since scores overlap. Ranges of scores that do overlap are not significantly full-text article downloads tend not to occur until after successful logon different from each other; those that do NOT overlap are significantly continued on page 68 Against the Grain / June 2017
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Biz of Acq — Baby Snake Swallows Whale: Impacts and Insights from Winthrop’s Recent ILS Migration by Antje Mays (Professor / Acquisitions & Description Librarian, Ida Jane Dacus Library, Winthrop University, 824 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29733; Phone: 803-323-2274; Fax: 803-323-2215) <[email protected]> Column Editor: Michelle Flinchbaugh (Acquisitions and Digital Scholarship Services Librarian, Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250; Phone: 410-455-6754; Fax: 410-455-1598)
From one System to Another: The Backstory using this ILS we were considering to glean After over three decades with the same integrated library system (ILS), information about system capabilities and their workflow implications. Winthrop University went live with a cloud-based new system on July 1, Preparing for Migration — Preparations began after signing with 2015. The old system fell behind in service and support, as well as speed the new system in spring 2014. Preparations included translation tables, and adequacy of response. The ILS and its modules operated through extraction of library data for the vendor’s migration work, and crafting client software loaded on library workers’ desktops, while some system strategies for data families that were known not to migrate owing to admin functions were accessible only through the original text-based differences in data structures. For example, statuses of physical pieces telnet client. Off-site access to the ILS modules was not built into the or loan rules for various materials in the former ILS did not translate di- system. Satisfying the need for performing some tasks from home after rectly into the new ILS’s structure of records. Such data could therefore hours required use of a VPN client to remotely access our work computers not migrate and an alternative for capturing such information needed on which the ILS software was loaded. Additional doubts arose about to be crafted. In the old system, item records could be configured with the timeliness of system updates. The library system company had been specific loan rules regardless of their locations. One location could hold purchased by a larger conglomerate, followed by periods of uncertainty various materials with varying loan conditions. For example, books for the system provider. The system’s high costs and prohibitive à la carte and AV materials in the stacks (“General Collection”) were available pricing framework, paired with continuous price inflation in key library for checkout, while bound journals in the same stacks were designated materials, necessitated new measures for staying within budget. More- for library use only. The old system’s structure allowed for such dis- over, the local servers in the library housing the ILS were showing signs tinctions. In the new system, loan conditions are tied to the shelving of age. The combination of these factors led increasingly to entertaining location. As a result, more shelving locations were created to capture the move to a next-generation cloud-based system. the loan conditions. For example, materials in the stacks now have two locations: “General Collection – Circulating” for materials available for Ultimately, a fully cloud-based system was chosen. The new ILS checkout and “General Collection – Bound Periodicals Non-Circulating” houses all its modules on the system vendor’s servers. All modules are for bound journals designated for library use only. Along similar lines, securely accessible via web browsers, and the discovery tool’s respon- the new system requires Reserve items available for various loan periods sive design adjusts seamlessly to mobile devices’ operating systems to be assigned separate shelving locations. “3 hour Reserve”, “24 hour and screen sizes. Reserve” are two of many such examples of new shelving locations that Onboarding and Migration needed to be created in order to reflect the various availability conditions. Before Signing On — As the factors outlined above pointed strongly Item statuses did not translate, as the new system’s structure does not toward an ILS change in the immediate future, a library collections in- include a mechanism to assign a status (for example “missing”). Of the ventory was conducted between 2013 and 2014 to resolve discrepancies items identified as missing in the pre-migration inventory, the titles still and ensure accurate holdings data. We also took stock of acquisitions unresolved closer to migration were not migrated, but kept as a separate and cataloging workflows, noting how existing work steps were per- list for continued verification work. formed with the former system as a basis for translating those into the Summer of 2014 marked the start of a nearly year-long migration, new system’s functions. New services the library might offer beyond with the targeted go-live date of July 1, 2015. During year 2014/2015, the capacities of existing staffing and workflow configurations were the final year with the old system, we continued our library business in also noted. Additionally, we visited several regional libraries already continued on page 70 Against the Grain / June 2017
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shows the total circulation since the new system went live — these must Biz of Acq be added up by call-number ranges reflecting our academic programs in from page 70 order to arrive at circulation totals. This design gap currently leaves us without ready access to subject-specific circulation totals. This in turn Base’s e-resource record. Gifts: The new ILS task bundling combines reduces options for comparing usage against expenditure. adding the received copies with copy cataloging — copies can be added Consortial holdings data sharing impact: Our library participates without first creating an order record. Gifts can thus be added without in the Partnership for South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL) first creating order records; a note on the holdings record shows the gift consortium and has historically shared holdings data with the consor- information. This design is in contrast to the old system in which gifts tium’s union catalog, as the basis for our participation in the consortium’s were added with order records and gift information was entered in note cooperative lending and borrowing. Our old system’s holdings were fields fully searchable in the analytics tool. While the new system’s task automatically ingested in PASCAL’s union catalog. Sharing our holdings bundling decreases processing time for adding gifts, analytics reporting using the new ILS now entails query-based extraction of requestable for new acquisitions excludes gifts. The analytics module is growing in subsets of our holdings in mrc format. The records extracted from the flexibility and searchable fields, but the staff note and public note fields new system are structured as two parts: One part is the bibliographic containing the gift information are not searchable. Absence of staff-note record with description; the other part is the holdings record with our searchability prompted the quest for alternatives for capturing the gift institutional OCLC symbol and item-specific information including information. We learned through trial and error that the ILS discovery the location, call number, and barcode number. In instances of multiple tool searches the public note field but not the staff note. To make the copies or multi-volume sets, the bibliographic record is accompanied gift information findable, we add gift information including donor and by multiple holdings records for each copy or volume as required, in year to the public note in order to make the information systematically addition to each piece’s location, call number, and item-specific bar- findable with the discovery tool. Collection assessment. (1) Expendi- code number. The new system’s vendor provided us with a Perl script tures: The new system’s financial data export cleanly, but totaling the to combine location and call number from the separate bibliographic numbers requires further work with specific spreadsheet or database tools and holdings records into the 994 and 999 MARC fields on the newly which are relatively simple to set up. (2) Circulation: The old system combined bibliographic record to make the resulting records compatible provided circulation totals by call-number ranges and formats. The old with the structure required for sharing with the PASCAL union catalog. circulation totals were clustered by call-number ranges. These were In multi-copy and multi-volume instances, the multiple holdings records then grouped into our academic programs using queries in a specifically are translated into separate MARC 999 lines showing each item’s shelv- designed Access database. The new system’s collection reporting tool ing location, call number, any identifying copy or volume enumeration, presents collections by call number, format, and publication and allows and each item’s barcode number. The vendor also provided a library limiting factors such as minimum number of circulation transactions. contact who provided insights and helpful tips for setting up this pro- The resulting output provides total titles circulated at least the specified cess. Instituting this regular project required a tech-savvy librarian’s number of times (broken out by call number areas), but no such table view crash course on Perl programming in order to understand the script and is available for total circulation transactions broken out by call number customize it with desired alterations. Owing to the Perl script learning areas. Obtaining circulation totals requires exporting a table with the curve, the task remains with one specific individual. individual titles associated with the overview tables. Each individual title continued on page 72
Against the Grain / June 2017
Pelikan’s Antidisambiguation — Living in the Past Column Editor: Michael P. Pelikan (Penn State)
was thinking back recently to my old li- skin, nor expect that a cup of coffee won’t be points in time. What would the reasonable brary school instructor in a class entitled hot enough to warrant care to avoid scalding. pre-Columbian have thought of the prospect I “The History of the Book.” He was one of The lengthy lists of cautionary imperatives of round-the-world travel? What would the those persons who had a doctoral-level degree accompanying any device or appliance, some- reasonable Elizabethan have thought of the in addition to a Master’s level Library degree, times affixed to said appliances in the form of prospect of manned flight? What does the in his case, a JD. In his classroom delivery durable plastic tags that defy removal (as a reasonable Amazonian (or whatever they he often would salt his presentations, perhaps reasonable person might wish to do) provide end up calling all of us whose typical retail unconsciously, with legal phrasings vivid testimony to the consequences of therapy no longer takes place in a store built and constructions. For example, lapsed common sense. of bricks and mortar) think of vacations in the modern paperback book “Caution: Nail Guns Generate outer space? had evolved, he said, into a Force Sufficient to Drive Nails into Many things are impossible, right up to the construction that was “rea- Wood!” “Please Note: The Con- moment at which they are first accomplished. sonably sturdy, when handled tents of this Spray Paint Can are with reasonable care.” Sometime in the late 1990s I was working Under Pressure!” “Be Careful: at a very small college in a very remote part of This was of course an External Surfaces of this Stove instance of the legal con- the Lower 48. At that time, the college had no May Become Hot Enough to website. That’s not as surprising as you might struction of the “reasonable Cause Burns!” person.” This is used to think: a LOT of places and things were not on capture and express what Well, thank you. I’ll re- the Web in the late 1990s. The idea of building can be expected in terms of turn these items if any of these a website had been mentioned, but there was care, skill, or judgement from assertions turn out not to be skepticism amongst the faculty as to whether the “average” person. The true. Really. such a thing would be worth the effort. reasonable person would not Here’s one of the prob- In the course of one such discussion I put attempt to operate a handheld lems with all of this: what’s forth the proposition that one day, even the hair dryer whilst standing under a running reasonable to one person may not seem Sears catalog would have a website. This as- shower, nor expect that the blade of a power reasonable to another. The same can be said sertion was met with incredulity. Who would saw might not be sharp enough to damage for otherwise reasonable persons at different continued on page 73
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e announced in late May that the Charleston Vendor Show- venture capital funding competitions, was to recognize and reward case will be moving to the Grand Ballroom of the Gaillard new innovation in academic library and information management. WCenter this year. We’re very excited about the extra room and From a pool of many qualified applicants, the committee selected the ability to keep all the vendor tables in one location. Toni Nix, the four finalists to present their “pitches” at the conference. Two powerhouse who manages the event, worked tirelessly to facilitate all winners were selected, one by a panel of judges and one by popular logistics that made the move possible. Please note that the Registration audience vote. Winners were awarded $2,500 each to further fund Check-in Desk will remain at the original their projects. We’re happy to say that location in the lobby of the Francis Marion the Fast Pitch competition will be back Hotel, and shuttle transportation will be for 2017! Application information will be available between both locations. posted on the conference website. Sum- Speaking of the registration desk, our maries of the 2016 winners and runners up Conference Registrar Sharna Williams can be found at http://www.against-the- has retired from the College of Charleston grain.com/2017/01/atg-special-report- Addlestone Library as of May 31! She will the-charleston-library-conference-fast- continue to work with us for the conference pitch-2016/. Start warming up your pitch! (whew!) and is looking forward to a more Speaking of conference sessions return- flexible schedule. Congrats, hugs, and high ing for 2017, the Charleston Premiers fives, Sharna! are going to be back and better than ever! Excited to announce some of our plena- Get ready to walk the red carpet to a Hol- ry presenters for 2017! Brewster Kahle, lywood-style awards show. Designed to Founder and Digital Librarian of the Inter- offer publishers and vendors the chance to net Archive, Loretta Parham, CEO and Di- Sharna Williams, Conference Registrar showcase their newest and most innovative rector of the products, platforms, and/or content, this Atlanta University Center (AUC) session will be augmented with an audience voting segment this year. Robert W. Woodruff Library, and We will be awarding several “Best Of” categories to increase audience Georgios Papadopoulos, Founder and engagement and participation. Presentations will still be organized in CEO of Atypon, will all be presenting a “lightning round” format with 5 minute presentations, back-to-back. in Charleston this year. We are greatly The Premiers are organized and moderated by Trey Shelton, Chair, looking forward to hearing their contri- Acquisitions & Collections Services at the George A. Smathers Li- butions. More to be announced soon! braries, University of Florida. We had a large number of top notch That’s it for now — stay tuned to the Charleston Conference web- preconference proposals this year! A site and the Against the Grain NewsChannel for more updates: www. full list of sessions is available at http:// charlestonlibraryconference.com and www.against-the-grain.com. Brewster Kahle www.charlestonlibraryconference.com/ preconferences/. Some of the topics included are an acquisitions bootcamp, budgeting, electronic resources manage- ment, combatting “fake news,” enriched metadata, negotiating with vendors, and more! Registration for the preconfer- ences is available on the main conference registration page. The launch of the Charleston Fast Pitch session was a great success at last year’s conference. The aim of Georgios Papadopoulos the contest, which was modeled after
Davies will oversee strategy development for the company’s life science Rumors franchise, including GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology from page 57 News) and Clinical OMICS, as well as spearhead innovative new content initiatives for Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Davies’s career as an MPDL has been working for many years with both Max Planck Society editor, author, and publisher spanned more than 25 years. He has held born data collections and commercial resources, developing cyberin- a number of prominent editorial and publishing positions, including frastructures and specialist applications for research data. It regularly founding editor of Nature Genetics, Editor-in-Chief of Cell Press, combines data flows from more than a hundred different sources and launch editor for Bio-IT World, and vice president of the American performs ongoing analyses of usage statistics and constantly growing, Chemical Society, where he served as publisher of Chemical & complex data pools with entry volumes in the order of 1011 or more. Engineering News. Davies is the author of three successful science https://www.mpg.de/mpdl-en books exploring the medical and societal impact of advances in DNA sequencing and analysis — Breakthrough: The Race to Find the Breast https://www.mpdl.mpg.de/en/about-us/mission.html Cancer Gene; Cracking the Genome: The Race to Unlock Human DNA; Kevin Davies has joined Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers as and The $1,000 Genome: The Revolution in DNA Sequencing and the Executive Vice President, Strategic Development. In this new role, continued on page 79 74 Against the Grain / June 2017
his article highlights a new marketing program at The University grating collections and services into the academic mission. Focusing of Alabama focused on promoting key databases and other elec- on the collection, analyzing usage data, and measuring trends in cost per Ttronic resources including eBook and streaming video collections. use provide valuable evidence of the library’s contributions to the larger The program began over a year ago and has seen a few revisions along institution. By establishing the new marketing program for collections the way. This article will explore some of the key aspects of planning and at The University of Alabama, the library intended to raise awareness implementation from the past 18 months. The key to any project of this of resources to faculty, students and even librarians. magnitude is establishing goals for the program and ensuring that staff Raise awareness of new and existing collections. The library has have the right tools and training. The marketing program has changed been fortunate to have robust budgets over the past several years. This in response to library strategic goals and because the skill level of those resulted in an expansion of resources that included several prominent involved has improved. In the past three months, the overall quality of digital collections. Some librarians felt that collections had grown so program has improved greatly following the hiring of two students who quickly it was difficult to keep up with new content, and changes to had knowledge of how to use the software, and interest in developing existing collections. New marketing efforts focused on various groups high quality professional images. Now with development and refinement (faculty, students, and librarians) depending on the resource. The library of the marketing program complete it is time to look back on the entire would market new and existing resources with an eye toward improving process, highlight some best practices, and alert others to the potential name recognition and, when possible, focused on special features or pitfalls to consider when beginning a similar initiative. enhancements to improve the user experience. A new era began at The University of Alabama in the fall of 2015. Take advantage of value added services provided by vendors. Technical services operations formerly dispersed across two departments Managing the new marketing program from Resource Acquisition & and one unit merged to form Resource Acquisition & Discovery. The two Discovery made sense given that most of the interaction between the departments, Cataloging and Acquisitions, and the Electronic Resources library and the vast network of vendors and publishers originated from Unit and all associated operations came together under one department. this department. Vendors and publishers are often able to assist with The new department head had the responsibility for conducting a detailed marketing efforts. Vendors are in a position to provide images and text for workflow analysis. The April 2016 edition of “Being Earnest with marketing initiatives and they routinely visit campus to update librarians Collections” provided a summary of the goals and objectives of that and faculty. Their expertise is a valuable asset libraries can use to help project along with suggestions and best practices for developing and promote resources. The library had well established relationships with carrying out workflow analysis in technical services. a number of vendors and publishers. These connections would serve as Tasked with improving discovery and awareness of library collections, a valuable asset during the planning and implementation phase. the new department quickly focused on ways to promote resources to faculty and students. Discussions about the idea of marketing resources The Program Gets Underway from the new department took place during the workflow analysis. It The marketing program launched with three specific areas of focus in- was felt that promoting resources might help improve the rate of return cluding, digital signs, blogs and social media. The marketing program, now on expenditures for library resources, and that these efforts might result in existence for 18 months, began with the hiring of a student employee who in more librarian-faculty interaction. Following on recommendations was working on a degree in advertising. Her initial goals were to develop from the workflow analysis the new department set out to develop a a marketing presence and to focus on the three key areas. It was clear from marketing program with a focus on library resources. Given the potential the outset that marketing collections from the new department was going size and scope, it was important early in the process to gather support to be an advantage for the library. Previous connections to colleagues for doing collection marketing and for managing it from Resource Ac- at several vendors and publishers meant that marketing professionals at quisition & Discovery. It seemed logical to run this program out of the these companies would be available to assist with guidance, feedback, and new department given that collection development is coordinated within marketing materials. These connections resulted in a smoother start for this department, and the newly hired department head had implemented the new marketing program. Having a marketing presence for collections a similar marketing program at a previous institution. was a positive, though time and experience would result in several changes This new initiative posed some challenges for the department. First, in direction and the quality of the finished products. marketing library resources was not being done in any systematic manner For the first nine months, most of the marketing output was from one in the library so new policies, procedures and staffing were necessary. student employee working under the direction of the department head. The library has a Director of Public Relations who has a vibrant marketing Her role was to research specific resources and develop digital signs, presence for library services and special events. After discussing ideas and write product descriptions. She also did some blogging and used for marketing collections from Resource Acquisition & Discovery, she social media to promote collections. She worked in collaboration with gave her support to the new initiative. After consultation with various the Director of Public Relations to ensure that images and the overall de- librarians and administrators, a new collection focused marketing pro- sign aligned with university specifications. She worked through existing gram received final approval. The next step was to figure out what the channels to have the images distributed to various units on campus. The new program was going to do and how. images were then available for placement as digital signs on monitors found in many campus buildings. Initial Goals for the Marketing Program Early efforts focused on promoting resources and gathering feedback With approval secured and a general sense of where the program might on the effectiveness of the various marketing efforts. It was important be heading, the next step was to develop some initial goals. Change was early on to determine rate of return for the marketing efforts. This feed- beginning to happen following the reorganization of technical services. back helped improve the program and guide future decisions. There was a general sense that the library had ample resources and yet users were not always aware of the richness of collections. Even regular Early Successes and Failures: Phase One library users were often surprised to learn of the vast electronic resources The marketing program began with three key strategies for reaching available to them. Based on this general sense the department moved library users. Based on discussions held during planning meetings and to design and implement the marketing initiative to meet three goals the fact that the library had existing marketing efforts for services and including improving return on investment, raising aware of collections, events attention focused on using digital images, blogs and social media. and taking advantage of value added services provided by vendors. Collection images on digital signs. It became clear in the first few Improving return on investment. Academic libraries are focusing months of the program that digital signs were a successful way to market now more than ever on demonstrating return on investment, and inte- continued on page 76 Against the Grain / June 2017
The 2017 conference of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) drew a record number of at- tendees — over 3,500 (5,000 including exhibitor personnel) — to Baltimore, MD on March 22-25. There were over 1,200 first-time attendees and 300 virtual attendees. Opening Keynote David McCandless, author of Knowledge is Beautiful (HarperCollins, 2014) and The Visual Miscellaneum (HarperCollins, 2009) pre- sented an excellent keynote address, accompanied by numerous Because of our exposure to an information design medium — the examples of fascinating visualiza- Internet — we have become trained to receive information visually. tions. There is so much knowledge in the world; what else can you do but He noted that information and data manipulate it? For many other examples of visualization, see McCand- are beautiful and perhaps are a new less’s website, http://www.informationisbeautiful.net. kind of material. Numbers are con- Closing Keynote stantly emerging into our world and must be visualized to be understood. The much anticipated closing keynote featured Carla Hayden, David McCandless What makes a good visualization? who became the 14th Librarian of Congress on September 14, 2016. Here is McCandless’s opinion — visualized, of course. Formerly CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore and a former president of ALA, she is the first woman and the first African American to hold the position. Hayden be- came well known for her actions when she kept a local branch of the library open during the unrest in Balti- more in 2015, and it Carla Hayden became a symbol of stability. She began her keynote address by thanking ACRL for not moving its con- ference out of Baltimore. During Hayden’s confirmation hearings, many of the people she met said that libraries do matter, which caused her to think about how she could serve as the Librarian of Congress. She said that in thinking about the Library of Congress (LC), she sometimes has “pinch me” moments when she reflects on the fact that LC has 162 million items and bookshelves that would stretch from Washington, DC to Davenport, IA. She is trying to make the Library relevant and wants to partner with all librarians. Can we make sure that everyone can see its treasures, which will mean that it is more physically accessible and more things are live streamed during its “Live at the Library” programs? We librarians are the original search engine. We went into the field of librarianship and we are the trusted source because we believe that connecting people with the right information at the right time can make a difference. That is our strength and we should revel in it. Some people think of us as guides on the side; we should be guides out in continued on page 79
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Genetic Revolution. In April of this year, Davies won a prestigious Rumors Guggenheim Fellowship for science writing. “I am delighted to be from page 74 joining the Mary Ann Liebert team,” said Davies. “I have long admired the company’s penchant for identifying emerging areas of science and New Era of Personalized Medicine — as well as co-author with Nobel medicine, and sought to emulate the longstanding success of Genetic laureate Jim Watson of an updated edition of DNA: The Story of the continued on page 85 Against the Grain / June 2017
Photo courtesy of Rajiv Nariani
Rajiv Nariani, Science Librarian at York University, looked at Makerspaces articles published by York faculty members that had the highest AASs New Literacies for Academic Library Makerspaces — Be- and told them how the scores compared with those of other articles. cause of the technologies in makerspaces, librarians need new The data were obtained from an affiliation searches in PubMed and skills to run them, and they need to teach students about them on Altmetric Explorer for Librarians.3 as well. At the University of Nevada-Reno, the library offered
Photo courtesy of Rajiv Nariani The faculty members were very happy to receive this data and said courses in Photoshop, 3D printing and modeling, and related good things about the library. Nariani also looked at the same articles skills. continued on page 81 80 Against the Grain / June 2017
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82 Against the Grain / June 2017
Kent R. Anderson sures that demonstrate impact. For academic libraries, libraries are in CEO the forefront of change as we transform our services and spaces to meet RedLink critical learning and research needs in higher education. I anticipate that 57 East Main Street, Suite 211 libraries will be the core of campuses as students tailor their courses and Westborough, MA 01581 programs for individual achievement depending more on libraries to pro- Phone: (508) 366-5653 vide the resources and spaces that allow them to customize their educa-
Against the Grain / June 2017
RedLink Vital information: Founded in 2013, independent operations in 2016. 57 East Main Street, Suite 211 Key products and services: RedLink Publisher Dashboard, Westborough, MA 01581 RedLink Library Dashboard, RedLink Network, SiteLeads, Remarq. Phone: (508) 366-5653 Academic publishers, libraries. www.redlink.com Core markets/clientele: number of employees: 19 affiliated companies: RedLink Network, a public benefit company. Kent R. Anderson, CEO; Nicola Poser, Managing Director; History and brief description of your company/publish- officers: ing program: RedLink was founded within Atypon in 2013, and spun Ryan Badua, Director of Finance; Dimitris Spanos, Chief Technology Officer. out as an independent company in early 2016. It has quickly achieved association memberships, etc.: SSP, STM, NISO, COUNTER, wide market acceptance for its innovative and useful tools that help pub- ALA, OLA, SLA, UKSG, CSE, ORCID. lishers and libraries “see what they’re missing.” LIBRARY PROFILES ENCOURAGED
R.M. Cooper Library, 1,400 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, along the shores Clemson University of Hartwell Lake. But we also have research facilities and economic de- 116 Sigma Drive velopment hubs throughout the state of South Carolina — in Greenville, Clemson, SC 29634-3001 Greenwood, Columbia and Charleston. The Libraries’ facilities include the Phone: (864) 656-3027 R.M. Cooper Library, Gunnin Architecture Library, Education Media Center, libraries.clemson.edu Library Depot, Special Collections & Archives, and the Clemson Design Center Library in Charleston. Answers provided by Maggie Farrell, Dean of Libraries. Staff: The library employs 28 faculty members, 62 staff people, and Library background/history: Clemson University is a compre- over 70 students. hensive, land-grant, R1 university. Our beautiful college campus sits on continued on page 85 84 Against the Grain / June 2017
Back Talk [email protected] from page 86 Over 1100 films in every major academic discipline Bruges City Center, “and 14 of them are on my street,” she said. Happily, I’d done my Flexible licensing op�ons online research about Bruges’s offerings and, having bought a few wares from 8 of them, I High-quality encoding declared victory! Next year’s retreat is scheduled for Barce- Support for desktop and lona, Spain. As one who has participated in mobile devices several Fiesole Retreats, I predict a wealth of ideas and discussion; and as a previous ESSENTIAL STREAMING one-time visitor to Barcelona and its cultural MARC records treats, I can attest that the chocolate shopping there, while not as diverse as in Bruges, is also Interac�ve transcripts hugely excellent. Clips See you there! Detailed analy�cs Closed cap�ons
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Engineering and Biotechnology News. I hope my ideas and experience in launching new journals and managing various science docuseek2.com and technology publications will help the Liebert organization grow and flourish in “ There is simply no other Chris Lewis the years ahead.” documentary collec�on Media Librarian http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx- on par with Docuseek2.” American University ?ItemId=175170&CultureCode=en Back Talk — The 19th Fiesole Retreat (Or, Eating My Way Through Chocolate Shops) Column Editor: Ann Okerson (Advisor on Electronic Resources Strategy, Center for Research Libraries)
his year in Lille, France, some 80 indi- The program theme was “The Evolving 3. Technology was always an enabler for viduals took part in in the 2017 Fiesole Scholarly Environment,” and by the time libraries: libraries have always been part of the TCollection Development Retreat this issue of ATG is released, readers will high-tech world of the times, from that “stone (http://www.casalini.it/retreat/). We arrived be able to peruse all the presentations on the age” to today’s “information age.” In every at Easter-time, a holiday celebrated and ven- Fiesole website (see: http://www.casalini. era, libraries have been places where the desire erated throughout much of Europe. We were it/retreat/retreat_2017.html), including the to expand knowledge led us to push the limits surrounded by Easter decorations, superbly excellent half-day Linked (Open) Data-Big of the possible. whimsical holiday chocolate (chickens, Data pre-conference convened by Prof. Dr. 4. The flood of money that built the robust bunnies, lambs), and the buzz of the French Andreas Degwitz, Library of the Humboldt academic libraries and institutions in the 1960s elections, whose first round was held on the University, Berlin. For those (like me), for to 80s masked issues that have now come to Sunday after our departure. whom Linked Data is a bit of an abstraction, the fore. Contentiousness and uncertainty over These retreats are almost 20 years old, these papers made the concept far more down roles and business models is the result. and they aim to bring together publishers, to earth, with presentations from Germany, 5. “Network effects” have always played a librarians, booksellers, and other stakeholders Paris, Casalini Libri, and Yewno. key part in how we perceive libraries’ activities from several continents, in order to review As the opening speaker on the first full and success. One of the information age’s con- and discuss current topics in scholarship, new day, I was tasked by convener Laure Delrue tributions is that at last librarians have a robust technologies, business models, and much (LILLIAD) to launch a discussion of collection infrastructure for cooperation and sharing. more — as these relate to developing library development present and future by looking at 6. We are now speaking about library collections. The Fiesole Retreats are inten- our collection development past. Researching cooperation, in the recent words of Filippos tionally structured to provide ample time and this talk and presenting it as the “The Six Ages Tsimpoglou, the new National Librarian of space for thoughtful discussion and should be of Library Collection Development — in 25 Greece: “Libraries, though acting as opera- on everyone’s calendar, at least from time to minutes” (credit to Julian Barnes’s History of tionally autonomous entities, assign part of time, to build understandings and networks the world in 10 ½ Chapters) was fun! Inevi- their relative autonomy to hierarchically higher that are uncommonly special. Our venue in tably such talks are superficial; nevertheless, cooperative entities to fulfill their missions Lille was the brand new Lilliad Learning several themes emerged for me. more effectively.” Those are powerful words, Center of the Université de Lille. Led by 1. Initially, back in the “stone age” of li- which would have been radical 25 years ago. Julien Roche, Directeur des Bibliothéques braries, libraries were collections. Books were 7. In closing, I cited MIT’s Chris Bourg, chez Université Lille 1, the Lilliad comprises scarce; libraries were even scarcer. Though from her recent talk about the age of machine a scientific university library, an event center some in that world may have longed for access reading, and the possibility that more and more with several amphitheaters and halls, and a beyond their own gates, those times were yet reading will become replaced by machines. research and exhibition center named Xperium. a long way off. What then will be the future for It is an inspiring venue, and we were delighted 2. By the early to middle libraries, publishers, and re- with the smart and dedicated staff. And lovely of the last century, librar- searchers, in that emerging lunches! And the easy metro ride back into the ies began to benefit from Machine Age? city center to our hotels. tools and technologies that Even among the friends Once again, participants expressed their made sharing increasingly who meet in the Fiesole Re- appreciation to the Fiesole-based Casalini possible. Yet, accumula- treat settings, it’s sometimes Libri group and family, for inspiring the series tion dominated long after hard to remain objective! named after Mario Casalini, the founder of access became possible; in Some of the more provocative this leading supplier of publications and tech- fact it’s still dominant today. talks were by Romary Laurent nology solutions to libraries and institutions This is neither good nor bad (INRIA, France), who described the worldwide. Michele Casalini is a constant — it just is — but the balance fully centralized repository system guiding presence at the retreats. is shifting rapidly. being developed for France (we in the U.S. are suspicious of large centralized systems); Clifford Lynch (CNI, USA), who highlighted the ways in which U.S. develop- ADVERTISERS’ INDEX ments in scholarly publishing are evolving differently from European counterparts; and 27 accessible Archives 85 docuseek2 9 Modern Language Association Anna Lunden (BIBSAM, Sweden) on the 2 american Chemical Society 17 east View Information Services 13 osa – The Optical Society careful, complicated, and perhaps controver- 77 american Pharmacists Association 47 the Electrochemical Society 35 readex, A Division of NewsBank sial crafting of national “offsetting deals for open access.” 43 annual Reviews 57 emery-Pratt 23 sage Publishing Once again, the Fiesole Retreat offered 15 casalini Libri 3 goBI Library Solutions 39 siaM lots of food for the brain, as well as the body. 71 the Charleston Advisor 11 igi Global 31 spie Digital Library For me, I took a day to visit a city that’s been long on my list: Bruges, less than an hour’s 10 the Charleston Report 51 inforMS 87 springer drive from Lille and a known world chocolate 19 cold Spring Harbor Lab Press 73 McFarland 21 university of Toronto Press capital. As we marched down the pedestrian 7 copyright Clearance Center 88 Midwest Library Service 63 winthrop University streets, one artisanal shop after another called out to me! One of the chocolatiers explained For Advertising Information Contact: Toni Nix, Ads Manager, to me that there are 60 chocolate shops in the
86 Against the Grain / June 2017
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