Purdue Profile: Donna Ferullo, director of the University Copyright Office

November 8th, 2011

New Web resource to facilitate study of bond between humans and animals

November 3rd, 2011

Grant provides archivist to care for Purdue Libraries’ astronaut collections

November 2nd, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Libraries will receive a $2 million grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to endow an archivist for the Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan archives and special collections at the university. Conrad Hilton’s son, Barron Hilton, is the retired chairman, president and CEO of Hilton Hotels Corp. An avid pilot and lifelong supporter of aviation, he said that he realizes the special educational and motivational value of these important collections.”As someone who has been personally inspired by Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan, I am pleased that their personal papers and artifacts are entrusted to Purdue’s professional care,” Hilton said. “It is gratifying to know that the careers of these remarkable role models will continue to inspire citizens of the world for generations to come, thanks to Purdue Libraries.”Purdue President France A. Córdova said: “We are truly grateful to Mr. Hilton and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and honored that they are celebrating Purdue’s history of achievement in space through this generous gift. Purdue has a reputation as ‘the Cradle of Astronauts,’ and we are building flight archives worthy of that reputation. We are thankful that Mr. Hilton will help provide us with this great resource to be able to reach flight enthusiasts and researchers around the world with our collection.”Purdue Libraries’ division of Archives and Special Collections is home to the papers and artifacts of some of the most recognizable names in U.S. flight history. Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, and Cernan, the most recent person to do so, donated papers. Astronauts Janice Voss and Roy Bridges Jr. followed in donating personal collections.The George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers – the world’s largest compilation of papers, memorabilia and artifacts related to the late aviator – along with papers from 1930 graduate and aviation pioneer Ralph Johnson, also are housed there.

“This endowed position will give us the ability to devote someone full time to building upon our tremendous collection of Purdue flight history,” said James L. Mullins, Purdue Libraries dean. “This process of making Purdue Archives and Special Collections a destination for those wanting a true sense of U.S. flight history is going to grow, thanks to Mr. Hilton and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.”

www.purdue.edu/newsroom/general/2011/110408MullinsHilton.html

Photo caption: At the recent President’s Council annual dinner announcing the gift, Eugene Cernan, Purdue alumnus and the last man to walk on the moon, joined Hilton Foundation Representative, Patrick Berry, President Córdova, and Libraries Dean, Jim Mullins, to speak of his support of the collection.

Publishing Services a Major Growth Area for Academic Libraries

November 1st, 2011

West Lafayette, IN – Publishing services provided by libraries are expanding and professionalizing, suggests a new report released by SPARC, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, on behalf of a team of researchers from the libraries of Purdue University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Utah. The report is the result of a year-long study of library publishing services made possible by a collaborative planning grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with additional support from Berkeley Electronic Press and Microsoft Research. It is available at http://wp.sparc.arl.org/lps/

The research included a survey distributed to deans and directors at all 223 institutions that are part of the Association of Research Libraries, the Oberlin Group, and University Libraries Group, supervised by consultant October Ivins; three detailed sustainability case studies of library publishing programs at Purdue, Georgia Tech, and Utah by consultant Raym Crow; three consultative workshops involving over 120 leaders in the library publishing community; and a literature review. Together, these sources paint a picture of the state of library publishing services in the US and Canada that is unique in breadth and depth of coverage.

Key findings of the project include:

• Approximately half (55%) of all respondents to the survey indicated having or developing library publishing services. Interest in such services varied by institution size, with over three-quarters of ARLs being interested, compared to 30% of Oberlin Group institutions. Most libraries with existing programs anticipated increasing the program’s scale or scope in the next year.

• About three-quarters of the programs publish between one and six journals, the majority of which are only distributed electronically and are less than three-years old. About half of the programs publish conference proceedings, technical reports, or monographs; most often electronically, but with some print-on-demand distribution.

• The vast majority of library publishing programs (almost 90%) were launched in order to contribute to change in the scholarly publishing system, supplemented by a variety of other mission-related motivations. The prevalence of mission-driven rationale aligns with the funding sources reported for library publishing programs, including library budget reallocations (97%), temporary funding from the institution (67%), and grant support (57%). However, many respondents expect a greater percentage of future publishing program funding to come from service fees, product revenue, charge-backs, royalties, and other program-generated income.

• Almost two-thirds of the programs collaborate with one or more other campus units—including departmental faculty, university press, and campus computing—and two-thirds collaborate with individuals or organizations outside of the institution. Over half of the respondents expect collaborations to increase in the next year.

• About half of responding institutions centralize management of their publishing activities within one library unit. The number of staff allocated to publishing activities is modest—averaging 2.4 FTE for ARLs and 0.9 FTE for Oberlin Group institutions—with older programs typically being larger. Staff dedicated exclusively to publishing service programs are relatively rare, with responsibility for such services typically fragmented across multiple staff members.

• The perceived relevance of publishing services to the library’s mission, and the integration of such services into the library’s budget, helps explain the relative lack of emphasis on sustainability planning. Few institutions (15%) have a documented sustainability plan for their publishing services, and only a fifth have evaluated the value or effectiveness of their publishing services.

• The most prevalent journal publishing platforms reported were Open Journal Systems (57%), DSpace (36%), and Berkeley Electronic Press’s Digital Commons (25%).

• According to respondents, the three resources most needed for planning or operating a library-based publishing service are guides to business issues, information on publishing platforms, and examples of policy and process documents.

The report includes a series of recommendations for future development of library publishing services based on the survey, workshops, case studies, and literature review. These are centered around developing best practices, collaborating to create community-based resources, and formalizing skills and training.

The report is open for comment through the end of the year. A final version will be issued in early 2012.

About the Project: The “Library Publishing Services: Strategies for Success” research project was conducted between October 1, 2010, and September 30, 2011 with support from a Collaborative Planning Grant in the National Leadership Program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The PI is James L. Mullins, Dean of Libraries at Purdue University, and the co-PIs are Catherine Murray-Rust, Dean of Libraries, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Joyce Ogburn, Dean of the J. Willard Marriott Library and University Librarian, University of Utah.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (http://www.imls.gov) is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the report do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Source: Charles Watkinson, Director, Purdue University Press, a unit of Purdue Libraries, 765-494-8251 or cwatkinson@purdue.edu

Mamie Bittner, IMLS, 202-653-4630 or mbittner@imls.gov

Miller to speak at reserch series: GIS for health economics and informatics

October 5th, 2011

Purdue Libraries is now accepting proposals for the 2011-2012 Library Scholars Grant Program

October 1st, 2011

October, National Information Literacy Awareness Month

September 27th, 2011

Renowned food critic/editor, bestselling author to speak on campus

September 27th, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Renowned food columnist/editor and best-selling author Ruth Reichl will speak Oct. 18 as part of the Purdue University Libraries Distinguished Lecture Series.Reichl’s talk, “Eating Our Words,” will be at 7 p.m. in Stewart Center’s Fowler Hall and is free and open to the public. After her talk, Von’s Book Shop of West Lafayette will have a book sale, and she will sign copies of her books.

Reichl, who is currently editor-at-large at Random House and serving as a judge on Bravo network’s “Top Chef Masters,” is a six-time recipient of the James Beard Award. The awards are presented to chefs; food and beverage professionals; broadcast media, journalists and authors working on food; and restaurant architects and designers.

Reichl is the author of several bestselling memoirs, including “Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise” and “Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table.” She is the former editor-in-chief at Gourmet magazine and has served as food editor for the Los Angeles Times and as restaurant critic for the New York Times. She has been a key voice in the culinary field, guiding readers on how to cook and what and where to eat.

Her lecture will take a look at food writing during different times and places in the world in an attempt to discover what the changing language of food can tell us about ourselves. She says, “As our attitudes about food have been in constant flux, we can look at the past to understand why we are living in such a food-focused present.”

The Purdue Libraries Distinguished Lecture Series, made possible by major funding from the estate of Anna M. Akeley, began in 2005 to bring people with notable creative and intellectual achievements to speak at the university. In addition to Purdue Libraries, this year’s sponsors include the Office of the Provost and the College of Health and Human Sciences. Richard D. Mattes, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science, will introduce Reichl.

Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: Kate Kester, Marketing Associate, Purdue Libraries, 765-496-9610, kkester@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Ruth Reichl will have a media availability on Oct. 18 before the lecture. Journalists can contact Kate Kester at 765-496-9610, kkester@purdue.edu, to set up interview times

www.purdue.edu/newsroom/events/2011/110926KesterReichl.html

Renowned food critic/editor, bestselling author to speak on campus

September 27th, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Renowned food columnist/editor and best-selling author Ruth Reichl will speak Oct. 18 as part of the Purdue University Libraries Distinguished Lecture Series.Reichl’s talk, “Eating Our Words,” will be at 7 p.m. in Stewart Center’s Fowler Hall and is free and open to the public. After her talk, Von’s Book Shop of West Lafayette will have a book sale, and she will sign copies of her books.

Reichl, who is currently editor-at-large at Random House and serving as a judge on Bravo network’s “Top Chef Masters,” is a six-time recipient of the James Beard Award. The awards are presented to chefs; food and beverage professionals; broadcast media, journalists and authors working on food; and restaurant architects and designers.

Reichl is the author of several bestselling memoirs, including “Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise” and “Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table.” She is the former editor-in-chief at Gourmet magazine and has served as food editor for the Los Angeles Times and as restaurant critic for the New York Times. She has been a key voice in the culinary field, guiding readers on how to cook and what and where to eat.

Her lecture will take a look at food writing during different times and places in the world in an attempt to discover what the changing language of food can tell us about ourselves. She says, “As our attitudes about food have been in constant flux, we can look at the past to understand why we are living in such a food-focused present.”

The Purdue Libraries Distinguished Lecture Series, made possible by major funding from the estate of Anna M. Akeley, began in 2005 to bring people with notable creative and intellectual achievements to speak at the university. In addition to Purdue Libraries, this year’s sponsors include the Office of the Provost and the College of Health and Human Sciences. Richard D. Mattes, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science, will introduce Reichl.

Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: Kate Kester, Marketing Associate, Purdue Libraries, 765-496-9610, kkester@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Ruth Reichl will have a media availability on Oct. 18 before the lecture. Journalists can contact Kate Kester at 765-496-9610, kkester@purdue.edu, to set up interview times

www.purdue.edu/newsroom/events/2011/110926KesterReichl.html

Purdue leads development of resource to help researchers find data

September 23rd, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University Libraries is leading the development of a new, online resource that will help people locate research data on the Internet.

The project is called Databib and will engage a community of librarians from around the world to collaborate in creating an online bibliography of data repositories that can be used by researchers, students, funding agencies, and other librarians to find appropriate places to access and share research data. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal research agency, awarded a grant to support the project.

“Funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation recognize the importance of sharing research data and have begun requiring that all grant proposals be submitted with plans for managing and sharing data,” said Michael Witt, the project’s principal investigator and an assistant professor of library science at Purdue.

“Databib will be a tool that helps researchers who produce data determine where to submit and publish their datasets, too.”

The project also will serve as a testbed for presenting, linking and integrating information about data repositories in new ways. Records from Databib will be integrated into social book marking services and made available for libraries to import into their catalogs. They will also be exposed as Linked Data, which is an implementation of the Semantic Web that seeks to create a “web of data.”

Purdue is collaborating with Penn State University on the nine-month project, which is scheduled to be completed in May 2012. More information can be found on the project’s website, http://databib.lib.purdue.edu

Source: Michael Witt, 765-494-8703, mwitt@purdue.edu

www.purdue.edu/newsroom/general/2011/110922WittDatabib.html