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September 7th, 2018
Purdue University Libraries’ unique archive on psychoactive substances research has been named and is now known as the Betsy Gordon Psychoactive Substances Research Collection. Recently, with Gordon’s support, Purdue Libraries established an endowed archivist position in the Purdue Archives and Special Collections (a division of the Libraries) to lead and grow collections relating to the history of psychedelics research.
Stephanie Schmitz is the first Betsy Gordon Psychoactive Substances Research Archivist at Purdue University (effective July 1, 2018).
First established in 2006 with generous funding provided by the Betsy Gordon Foundation, the archival collections comprise unique materials that document the history of psychoactive substances and their applications for medicine and healing. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of research studies surrounding psychedelics, e.g., the Heffter Research Institute‘s studies on psilocybin for cancer distress and addiction.
“I am pleased to be able to help in developing, through Purdue Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections, an archive and library centered on the work of so many dedicated chemists and clinicians who have worked in the field of psychoactive substances,” noted Gordon, a founder of the collecting initiative, who recently donated funds to name the collection and endow the archivist position. “As we have learned from the past, psychoactive substances hold untold potential in the area of reducing human suffering and healing. With such an archive, and through sharing with other universities and research institutions, all the work can be collectively stored and shared through this collection at Purdue,” she added.
According to Purdue University Archivist, Head of Archives and Special Collections, and Professor Sammie Morris, the renaissance in research surrounding the use of psychedelics for mental, physical, and spiritual health is attracting a growing number of scholars to Purdue to use the collection.
“Substances that once brought panic and fear to the public are now being recognized as having substantial health benefits in treating post-traumatic stress disorders, addiction, individuals facing terminal illnesses, and other health concerns,” she noted. “What many people may not know is that there is a long and rich history of psychedelics research conducted by psychiatrists, scientists, and health care professionals prior to the association of these substances with the counterculture movement. The past discoveries and research findings are highly relevant today in informing the future of this research.”
In 2006, Gordon and David Nichols, Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at Purdue, recognized the need to create a unique collection on the history of psychoactive substances research. According to Morris, the collection has increased dramatically over the last 12 years.
“The scholarship and learning that have resulted from the use of this growing collection would not be possible without Gordon,” Morris noted. “The Betsy Gordon Psychoactive Substances Research Collection is the premier archival collection of its kind in the United States. It is the only major research collecting effort in the nation specifically centered on acquiring the original, historical primary-source papers of researchers in the field. Other libraries and museums have some collections on this topic, but no other academic institution has been dedicated to collecting these types of one-of-a-kind, original documents, images, and artifacts comprehensively. These items are critical to supporting an understanding of the history of psychedelics research.”
The endowment of the archivist position allows the collecting effort to expand and ensures the sustainability of the collection into the future, Morris added.
The collection benefits researchers in a wide array of disciplines, attracting historians, anthropologists, chemists, and clinical psychologists. Scholars have traveled from around the world to consult the collection, and faculty and students at Purdue and in the local community routinely use the collections for teaching and learning.
Schmitz has led the collecting initiative since 2007. She frequently collaborates with faculty to incorporate the collections into Purdue’s educational mission.
“One of the most compelling things I do is to introduce this fascinating and interdisciplinary area of research to others. There is nothing more gratifying than witnessing the trajectory of archival materials from their inactive use while still in the possession of the donor, to their transfer to archives, and ultimately into the hands of scholars, where their work is referenced in publications such as books, journals, and presentations, further legitimizing this area of research,” Schmitz noted. “These collections of archival materials capture the triumphs and struggles of the work that was carried out in the past, helping to inform current and future research. Betsy’s generous gift will allow me to take this collecting area to new levels, increasing our acquisition of collections, promoting them for research use, and using them in course instruction,” she added.
Purdue University Department of History Dema G. Seelye Chair in the History of Medicine Wendy Kline said the collection is one of the most valuable sources she has encountered on the history of psychiatry and mental health.
“My forthcoming book, ‘Coming Home: How Midwives Changed Birth’ [Oxford University Press, 2018] draws on the papers to demonstrate the curious and fascinating connections between alternative birth and psychedelics,” Kline explained. “This collection draws historians from all over the globe, and it will continue to draw in more scholars as interest in these substances and their history grows, as it undoubtedly will. I have used the papers in undergraduate history research seminars and witnessed students come to life as they discover the collection’s fascinating contents. It has made them rethink the connections among science, medicine, and the counterculture.”
These substances, when used in appropriate settings under care of a medical professional, have been shown to increase the quality of life for people suffering from a wide array of illnesses from cancer patients to veterans of war to individuals who have had lifelong struggles with addiction.
“Works by authors such as Michael Pollan (‘How to Change Your Mind’) are informing the public about the health benefits of psychedelics and their potential in addressing issues of national concern, such as the opioid crisis,” noted Interim Dean of Libraries Rhonda Phillips. “The Libraries is proud to hold a comprehensive collection of archival materials dedicated to this research, to preserve and share the history of psychedelics for current and future generations of scholars.”
Learn more about the Betsy Gordon Psychoactive Substances Research Collection at http://collections.lib.purdue.edu/psychoactive/.
For more information, contact Schmitz at sschmit@purdue.edu.
Filed under: general, SPECAugust 31st, 2018
The scholarly publishing landscape has changed more in the last 20 years than the last 300 years. Every year, we see the rise of new technologies and innovations in scholarly publishing, and in many ways, the rapid change has made it difficult for the remainder of the scholarly community to keep pace. Unfortunately, not all emerging trends in scholarly publishing are changes for the better. In recent years, predatory publishing has been on the rise.
Fortunately, for Purdue University researchers, Purdue University Libraries offers in-house expertise and can help faculty and other researchers navigate the issue of predatory publishing, as well as help reap the benefits of Open Access publishing.
Scholarly Publishing Specialist Nina Collins, who is situated in the Purdue University Press, has put together the “Deceptive Publishing” resource via this LibGuide. “Deceptive Publishers: Predatory Publishing.”
Additionally, in the brief Q&A below, she provides an overview of predatory publishing, its impact on Open Access publishing, and how she aids Purdue faculty and researchers in their scholarly publishing pursuits.
Q. What exactly is predatory publishing? Why is this topic and practice important for faculty to be aware of?
Collins: Currently, the phrase “predatory publisher” is an umbrella phrase to describe a wide variety of issues in scholarly publishing, including failure to adhere to publishing best practices, deception, inadequate or non-existent peer review, fraud, and even scientific misconduct. Predatory publishers cause harm to all stakeholders in the scholarly communication ecosystem. Often, these publishers look legitimate on the surface, and scholars in all disciplines can have a difficult time discerning a predatory publisher at first. Frequently, predatory publishers send relentless spam email to scholars, requesting submissions to their journals or participation in their conferences.
Publishing in a questionable journal can have a negative effect on a researcher’s reputation or even inhibit career advancement. Furthermore, as good scholarship can be published in bad outlets, scholars, as consumers of knowledge, can find themselves questioning scholarship based solely on the publication outlet in which it was published. This erodes trust in the scholarly record, in scholarship, and even in scientific knowledge.
Due to the negative association of Open Access, the movement has been especially challenged with the presence of many predatory publishers. Although predatory publishers use traditional publishing business models, as well as Open Access business models, the literature oftentimes associates “open” with “predatory.”
Open Access is a noble goal, supporting many benefits for scholars, students, researchers, practitioners, academic institutions, funding agencies, and the public. There are many paths to Open Access, including the gold standard “author-pays” model, which is the OA business model most often exploited by predatory publishers.
As funding agencies move toward greater transparency and openness, the need for greater awareness of predatory publishers is critical in order to protect scholars, funders, and academic institutions from these deceptions.
Q. What predatory publishing resources do you provide for Purdue faculty?
Collins: Purdue University Libraries offer resources to help faculty identify predatory publishers.
Our “Deceptive Publishers” LibGuide includes tools for faculty and researchers to help identify the most common deceptive and non-transparent practices of predatory publishers.
The University Copyright Office (housed within the Libraries) advises Purdue University faculty and staff about copyright law, as it applies to higher education, and provides information on current issues in copyright. The Copyright Office can provide programs and lectures on issues related to copyright.
Purdue University Press, a division of Purdue University Libraries, aligns the strengths of both publishers and librarians to advance the creation, communication, and discovery of new knowledge. We are Purdue University’s own scholarly publishing experts. Located in Stewart Center, we are available for publishing consultations on any topic related to scholarly publishing.
Within the Press, I serve as the scholarly publishing specialist. I have been researching and talking to scholars about predatory publishers since 2013, and I offer predatory publisher workshops and presentations to departments, schools, and colleges throughout campus. I can be contacted at nkcollin@purdue.edu.
In addition, our librarians work with publishers to provide access to scholarly literature. Collection development and collection assessment are some of our core duties; we are constantly evaluating sources and teaching information literacy, the skills used to evaluate resources. For more information, contact a Subject Librarian.
Q. How else do you help Purdue faculty in their Open Access publishing pursuits?
Collins: Open Access is a legitimate business model in scholarly publishing. It differs from traditional business models in that anyone, anywhere, can access scholarship as soon as it is published.
There are many ways to support Open Access, including publishing in Open Access journals or using the “green” Open Access model, which is a process of self-archiving in an institutional repository. In this model, authors publish their scholarship in traditional publishing outlets, then archive a version of the paper on their institutional repository. Many scholarly publishers have friendly sharing policies, permitting this type of sharing.
Purdue e-Pubs, Purdue University’s institutional repository, provides free, global access to more than 50,000 scholarly resources created by the Purdue University community. We provide a free sharing policy review service, alerting authors which version of their papers can be archived on Purdue e-Pubs. We also offer a free mediated upload service—uploading the paper on the author’s behalf. To participate, email a list of your Purdue publications to epubs@purdue.edu.
Through memberships provided by Purdue University Libraries, Purdue-affiliated authors are entitled to discounts from some gold model Open Access publishers. We are members of SPARC and the Open Textbook Network. Purdue University Press publishes several Open Access journals, and we generously support Open Access publishing in many ways. As scholarly publishing specialist, my expertise is Open Access. Send Open Access questions and inquiries to nkcollin@purdue.edu.
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, Open_Access, services, UncategorizedAugust 30th, 2018
Dr. Noble’s Talk Part of Purdue University’s Sesquicentennial Ideas Festival.
Safiya Noble, author of the widely acclaimed book, “Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism,” will deliver the inaugural lecture in Purdue University Libraries’ Critical Data Studies Distinguished Lecture series at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3 in Fowler Hall at Purdue University.
Noble’s lecture, “Intellectual Freedom and Racial Inequality as Addressed in ‘Algorithms of Oppression,” is aligned with Purdue’s Giant Leaps Sesquicentennial Campaign and is part of the Ideas Festival Theme, “Giant Leaps in Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms, and Automation: Balancing Humanity and Technology.” The Ideas Festival is the centerpiece of the campaign and connects world-renowned speakers and Purdue expertise in a conversation on the most critical problems and opportunities facing our world.
According to Purdue Libraries Assistant Professor Kendall Roark, Critical Data Studies, or CDS, is an emerging interdisciplinary field that addresses ethical, legal, socio-cultural, epistemological, and political aspects of data science, big data, algorithms, platforms, and digital infrastructure.
“Dr. Noble’s work is unique, but also draws upon themes within critical theory, Black Feminist Thought, and information science that are of interest to CDS scholars. Dr. Noble asks questions about how inequality, bias, and power are embedded into search-engine platforms. Her work has the potential to inform not only CDS scholars, but also public debates around a wide range of emerging technologies and the transformation of everyday life,” said Roark.
Purdue University Director and Professor of American Studies Rayvon Fouché, who served on Noble’s dissertation committee, calls her work on “Algorithms of Oppression” “pathbreaking.”
“It demands that we rethink the ways that online interactions reinforce assumptions about race, gender, and all forms of difference. As societies continue to move in a direction where algorithms mediate our information exchanges, Dr. Noble’s research supplies valuable insights on how to build a more just and equitable world,” he noted.
“We are honored that Dr. Noble will share her important research with the Purdue community as the inaugural lecture in Purdue University Libraries’ Critical Data Studies Distinguished Lecture series,” added Interim Dean of Libraries Rhonda Phillips, who is also the dean of the Purdue Honors College. “Her 2018 acclaimed book is a must-read by scholars of information science, artificial intelligence and technology, sociologists, engineers, and scientists of all disciplines. We are excited that Dr. Noble will share insights into her research and serve as a catalyst for an important discussion about artificial intelligence in the Ideas Festival component of Purdue’s Sesquicentennial celebration.”
Noble, an assistant professor at University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communications, is a co-founder of the Information Ethics & Equity Institute (IEEI), which provides training for organizations committed to transforming their information management practices toward more just and equitable outcomes. She is the recipient of a Hellman Fellowship and the UCLA Early Career Award, and her research focuses on the design of digital media platforms on the Internet and their impact on society. Noble earned her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in library and information science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.A. in sociology from California State University, Fresno, with an emphasis on African American/ethnic studies. Prior to becoming an academic, she spent more than 15 years in various corporate and non-profit marketing and advertising positions. (See safiyaunoble.com for more information.)
The Critical Data Studies Lecture Series and the Critical Data Studies Cohort of the Data Mine Learning Community are a collaboration of the Purdue Honors College, Purdue University Libraries, and the Department of Anthropology. Please contact Roark (roark6@purdue.edu) to learn more about the Critical Data Studies Seminar Series and/or CDS Cohort of the Data Mine. Visit the Data Mine Learning Community website for details about applying to be part of the residential learning community.
Noble’s lecture is made possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Purdue University Libraries, Purdue College of Liberal Arts’ School of Interdisciplinary Studies’ American Studies major; Purdue Policy Research Institute; Diversity Resource Office; 150th Committee on “Giant Leaps in Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms And Automation: Balancing Humanity And Technology”; Purdue Department of Anthropology; Purdue Honors College; Critical Data Studies cohort of the Data Mine Learning Community; the Center for Science Information, NSF Science & Technology Center, Purdue University; and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The Purdue University Sesquicentennial Campaign, 150 Years of Giant Leaps, is a yearlong celebration of Purdue, its remarkable people, its unique history and its visionary drive to meet the world’s future challenges. From Homecoming 2018 through Homecoming 2019, the Purdue community will spend the year celebrating its unique legacy, which has included giant leaps across every field of endeavor, and further advancing the mission set forth since its founding as a land-grant university in 1869. With the campaign serving as a springboard for a renewed commitment to growth, innovation and discovery, Purdue’s call is simple: Whatever your pursuit, take Giant Leaps.
For more information about the Critical Data Studies Seminar Series and/or other related learning and research opportunities, contact Roark at (765) 494-2637 or via email at roark6@purdue.edu.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Noble will be available for media interviews from 3-4 p.m. outside of Fowler Hall in Stewart Center. Please send confirmation of attendance to tkoltzen@purdue.edu or call (765) 494-0069.
Filed under: general, press_releaseAugust 28th, 2018
Purdue University Libraries Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities (DH) Matthew Hannah is seeking proposals from Purdue University graduate students for DH travel grants and from Purdue faculty for DH innovation grants. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the deadline of May 1, 2019. More information about each grant opportunity is below.
These travel grants are available for Purdue University graduate students who are traveling to a conference to present original work occurring at the intersection of the humanities and technology. Funded areas of scholarship include: Digital Humanities, media studies, Science and Technology Studies, humanities informatics, scholarly editing, book studies, data science, archives, or museum studies. As part of the Integrative Data Science Education Ecosystem, and provided by the Digital Humanities Studio and Purdue Libraries, these travel grants will provide up to $600 for travel to a conference. While any graduate student is eligible, the presentation must relate to the intersection of technology and the humanities.
To apply or request more information, submit your abstract and a brief CV to Hannah at hannah8@purdue.edu by May 1, 2019. (Applications will be accepted until the deadline.)
Are you a Purdue University faculty member planning to add digital tools, methods, or media into your existing humanities course? Are you planning to propose a new course with digital tools, methods, or content in the next few years? As part of the Integrative Data Science Education Ecosystem, the Digital Humanities Studio and Purdue Libraries are offering innovation grants of $2,000 to faculty who will be significantly redesigning or revising their syllabi in the coming years to incorporate more digital methods, tools, or content into existing or new courses. These incentives provide funds for training, conference travel, equipment, or other support in the development or redevelopment of courses to include innovative digital methods and tools.
To apply or request more information, submit a brief CV, the syllabus you plan to revise, and a 1-2 page course proposal detailing the planned modifications, including discussion of new tools, methods, assignments, content, or other changes to Hannah at hannah8@purdue.edu by May 1, 2019. (Applications will be accepted until the deadline.)
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, HSSEAugust 24th, 2018
In Gershwin’s classic “Summertime,” the “livin’ is easy,” and for many who work in education, the summer months may be a bit easier—a time to take a break from the hectic pace of the regular academic year. But many faculty also take advantage of their summer downtime to take part in professional-development activities to advance their skills, hone their expertise, and become better educators for the school year ahead. That is exactly what more than 100 librarians did this summer in the Association of College and Research Libraries’ “Immersion” program.
In 2017, Purdue Libraries Associate Professor Clarence Maybee—who also is the Libraries information literacy specialist—was selected as an instructor for ACRL’s five-day long intensive learning program. The program is designed for those who contribute to the educational role of libraries in higher education.
Maybee is an advisor for IMPACT, or Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation, and he is a zealous advocate for librarians’ roles in higher education. Recently, he authored “IMPACT Learning: Librarians at the Forefront of Change in Higher Education,” a book that presents the ways in which academic librarians are making a difference in student learning and success, using IMPACT as an example.
In the short Q&A below, Dr. Maybee talks about the structure and benefits of Immersion and how he uses the opportunity to teach and to learn.
Q: Why is the program called Immersion?
Maybee: Immersion is an intense five-day long experience in which librarians, who support the educational mission of libraries, take a deep dive into exploring and planning for a change in practice they want to take back to their campuses. This year, we sequestered ourselves at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Each day of the week brought a combination of learning about new ideas, receiving constructive feedback from colleagues, reflecting on what we heard, and working individually. Participants were truly “immersed” in their work—ending the week with a plan for what they want to enact when they get back home.
Q. How was Immersion 2018 structured?
Maybee: The 120 participants were divided up into eight cohorts. The program is built upon four cornerstones: critical reflective practice, design thinking, leadership, and information literacy. Before attending the ACRL Immersion program, participants were asked to identify a “change in practice” they are considering in their educational work. The change in practice could be anything, such as a new lesson, a new approach to teaching overall, or a new communication plan. The first few days of the program focused on introducing participants to new ideas related to each of the four cornerstone concepts. At the end of the week, the participants received peer feedback to help them advance their plans. Many participants told me this was the most useful experience of the week—allowing them to draw many ideas together and see things in a new way! As a teacher, I loved seeing what each group came up with on the last day of the program. On this day, the 15 participants in each of the eight cohorts created a visual representation of what they collectively learned through the week. Yes, there were scissors and colored markers involved!
Q. What was the most Tweetable comment/discussion point from Immersion this year and why?
Maybee: A participant pointed out that the program did not explicitly address the racism that exists in higher education learning environments. She volunteered to give a talk to participants about anti-racist pedagogy. Of course, we took her up on that. She introduced the group to many books that aim to help us see racism in teaching and learning situations and various ways of responding to it! I was so grateful for this participant’s willingness to share her knowledge with us. It was a memorable and important addition to the program.
Q. How do you take what you learned at Immersion and apply it to your work at Purdue?
Maybee: It is a two-way street! Many of the insights I have gleaned from working with Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation (IMPACT) helped me in my efforts to support participants in the Immersion program. Specifically, the techniques we use in working with Purdue instructors to think through pedagogic concerns were particularly applicable to working with Immersion participants. Of course, everyone at Immersion brings so much to the table. When working with the teachers and participants in the program, I am constantly learning innovative pedagogic ideas, which I bring back to my work at Purdue.
Q. How did you feel (and why do you think you felt this way) when the program concluded?
Maybee: Although I was very tired by the end of the week, I took solace in knowing that the participants, having really poured their hearts into their work, were even more exhausted. Everyone worked so hard on thinking through the change in practice each wanted to enact back at his or her institution. At the end of the week, everyone was invigorated—excited to get back home and improve education!
Filed under: faculty_staff, generalAugust 22nd, 2018
Purdue University Archives and Special Collections (ASC) latest exhibit highlights the physical growth and evolution of Purdue‘s West Lafayette campus since the University was founded in 1869. “Building Purdue: 150 Years of the West Lafayette Campus” will be on display from Monday, Aug. 27–Friday, Dec. 14 in the ASC (located on the fourth floor of the Humanities, Social Science, and Education, or HSSE, Library in Stewart Center). Exhibition hours are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and it is free and open to the public.
According to Digital Archivist Neal Harmeyer, who curated the exhibit, the display will include selected maps, photographs, documents, and artifacts that tell the story of campus—with a focus on its construction—as Purdue nears the sesquicentennial.
“Prominent topics are the fire of Heavilon Hall that inspired ‘One Brick Higher,’ the creation of the Purdue Memorial Union, the University during and after the World Wars, and the ever-changing nature of the campus all Boilermakers call home,” Harmeyer noted.
Later this year, Archives and Special Collections will launch the Campus Buildings and Facilities Project, a searchable database documenting the full history of the physical West Lafayette campus.
The exhibit helps Purdue Archives and Special Collections, a division of Purdue Libraries, kick off Purdue University’s Sesquicentennial Campaign, 150 Years of Giant Leaps. The campaign is a yearlong celebration of Purdue, its remarkable people, its unique history, and its visionary drive to meet the world’s future challenges. From Homecoming 2018 through Homecoming 2019, the Purdue community will spend the year celebrating its unique legacy, which has included giant leaps across every field of endeavor, and further advancing the mission set forth since its founding as a land-grant university in 1869. With the campaign serving as a springboard for a renewed commitment to growth, innovation, and discovery, Purdue’s call is simple: Whatever your pursuit, take Giant Leaps.
For more information about “Building Purdue: 150 Years of the West Lafayette Campus,” contact Harmeyer at harmeyna@purdue.edu.
#TakeGiantLeaps
Filed under: collections, events, general, HSSE, SPECAugust 17th, 2018
Many at Purdue know about (and have likely benefited from using) Purdue University Libraries’ robust research resources (online and in print), as well as cutting-edge services (e.g., 3D printing, data visualization, data management, research and scholarly communication support… the list goes on). What some individuals may not completely understand, though: How Purdue University Libraries faculty members contribute to instruction, teaching, and learning at Purdue.
In addition to serving as instructors and co-instructors in courses across the disciplines and majors here at Purdue, Libraries’ faculty members also perform important liaison duties to help faculty in all disciplines connect their students to important and authoritative information in their respective fields.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll introduce you to the Purdue Libraries faculty liaisons and share a bit about what they each do in their librarian, instructor, liaison, and/or information specialist roles.
This week, we start by introducing David (“Dave”) Zwicky, assistant professor of library science and chemical information specialist at Purdue Libraries. His liaison responsibilities include the departments of chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials engineering. He is also a patent and trademark specialist, affiliated with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent & Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) program.
His work through the PTRC is an invaluable resource here at Purdue, particularly for those who are interested in patents and want to understand how they are and can be used in business and industry.
“Patents help you avoid repeating work other people have done, they can inspire new designs, and expired patents are pieces of technology that are in the public domain, free to be built upon and adapted,” explained Zwicky. They also let you know what technologies other companies are exploring (they’re a key part of competitive intelligence analysis). And, of course, if you can get a patent on your own invention, that’s incredibly powerful when you want to commercialize it,” he added.
Following is a brief overview, through a short Q&A, of how Professor Zwicky advances teaching and learning at Purdue, through his direct work with students and faculty.
Q. Tell me a bit about your background, what you do here as a faculty member in Purdue Libraries, and your role as the patent and trademark specialist in the Libraries.
Professor Zwicky: As the chemical information specialist, I work with folks in my liaison departments to support research, incorporate information literacy into courses, build collections, and just generally see that their information needs are met.
Before I became a librarian, I was actually a chemical engineer (with my B.S. and M.S. in the field), and I was on my way to a Ph.D., but I decided I couldn’t see myself working in the field. I had worked in my undergraduate university’s engineering library and I knew that STEM and library science could be complementary, so I switched over and got an master’s degree in library and information science. It’s been a great experience, and my two different areas of study and former career practice work really well together.
I’m also Purdue University’s representative to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office’s PTRC (Patent & Trademark Resource Center) program. We’re an outreach organization affiliated with the USPTO, which tries to help people in our communities learn more about patents and trademarks. This usually means teaching students and entrepreneurs about the basics of the patent system and how they can do their own patent searching.
I do this through courses, through workshops, and through one-on-one consultations. Patents are a different beast than other forms of information, harder to search, and harder to use. One of my specialties is breaking them down and showing people how to work with them effectively. I’ve been a patent librarian for about nine years (at my last job and here at Purdue), and I’m currently the president of the PTRC Association (the professional group for PTRC reps).
Q. Why are patents important sources of information for faculty and student researchers?
Professor Zwicky: Patents are important for researchers for a few reasons. The big, obvious reason is that researchers might want to get patents of their own. If they invent something novel and useful, they may want to patent and commercialize it, which is great for both the researcher and for the University. That said, I really want to get people to think how patents can be useful beyond their entrepreneurial applications. Patents have the potential to give researchers insight into research and development that goes on outside of academia. If you’re working in industry and you invent something important, you may not write an academic article or present at a scholarly conference; you’re almost certainly going to apply for a patent. These publicly available documents dramatically expand the scope of the scientific literature, particularly in applied areas.
Q. Through you, how does Purdue Libraries and Purdue U. collaborate with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent and Trademark Research Center?
Professor Zwicky: The PTRC program is aimed at outreach. Personnel at the USPTO realize that entrepreneurs around the country need to know about intellectual property (especially independent inventors), and they know not everyone can come to the main patent office in Alexandria (Virginia). So they’ve set up this program, which links 80-odd libraries (public, government, and academic) from around the country with the USPTO and each other. If someone in our area has a need for a patent or trademark consultation, the USPTO can refer that individual to us for the basic level of training. In exchange, the Purdue Libraries get access to USPTO training and resources.
In practice, this means that I meet with people from Purdue, Lafayette, and West Lafayette, and our general area of Indiana and Illinois (the other PTRCs in our area are Chicago Public Library and Indianapolis Public Library) and talk to them about patents and trademarks. I am not a lawyer and I can’t answer any legal questions, but I can explain the overall process and show them the publicly available tools they can use to do their own searching. I also use what I’ve learned through this program to teach about intellectual property.
Q. What does it mean that you have liaison responsibilities with the Purdue departments of chemistry, chemical engineering and materials engineering?
Professor Zwicky: My liaison responsibilities mean I’m the point of contact for people in those departments (faculty, staff, and students) when they have information needs. Is there a book they think we should add to the Libraries’ collection? Do they need help finding a specific reference or doing a broader literature search? Do they want to incorporate information literacy into their courses? I’m here to help with all of that and more.
Q. How does patent research apply to the work you do with faculty and students teaching and learning in these disciplines/departments?
Professor Zwicky: Patents are particularly relevant in that last area of teaching and learning. Not only do students—especially students who are interested in pursuing careers outside of academia—need to know basic information about patents; patents represent an incredible opportunity for students to engage with information in a different way. Patents, among other applications, can be used as case studies, showing students how other people have tried to solve real-world problems, and they’re incredibly potent in the context of design courses.
Q. Why is it important for faculty and even student researchers to be aware of patents and trademark information? How can they become more knowledgeable about the importance of patents?
Professor Zwicky: Patents help you avoid repeating work other people have done, they can inspire new designs, and expired patents are pieces of technology that are in the public domain, free to be built upon and adapted. They also let you know what technologies other companies are exploring (they’re a key part of competitive intelligence analysis). And, of course, if you can get a patent on your own invention, that’s incredibly powerful when you want to commercialize it.
Trademarks are a little simpler and a little more niche. They’re vitally important in terms of marketing your company and making sure your customers can easily identify your goods and services, but they’re a bit less relevant in purely academic settings.
In terms of learning about patents and trademarks, contact me. I’m happy to set up one-on-one consultation appointments, training sessions, and so on. I also have a LibGuide page at http://guides.lib.purdue.edu/patents.
Patents and trademarks have applications beyond science and technology; I tend to focus on STEM, but that’s more about me than about the information. I’d love the opportunity to talk to someone working in the graphic design space, studying the history of science, or doing any other kind of research where patents or trademarks may be relevant. If anyone out there is interested, by all means, contact me.
Contact Professor Zwicky at dzwicky@purdue.edu.
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, PSET, UncategorizedAugust 9th, 2018
As of Monday, Aug. 13, gaining access to Purdue University Libraries’ valuable online scholarly resources while on campus will require students, faculty, and staff to log in using their Purdue University career account credentials.
Formerly, users accessing Purdue Libraries’ online resources while working anywhere on the West Lafayette campus would be logged in automatically (through IP address detection) to view and download Libraries’ online materials. The new log-in requirement creates an extra layer of security and is consistent with the Purdue log-in systems used across campus.
However, users who have already logged into a Purdue system (e.g., OnePurdue) on any given day via their computers and devices while on campus will not have to log in again; the only time the new log-in requirement will apply is when users attempt to log in to Libraries’ online resources without having logged into another Purdue system. Users who log in to access Libraries’ online resources as the initial way they access a Purdue online system will either be able to use their career account credentials or their BoilerKey passwords.
When users are not physically present on the West Lafayette campus, the process for gaining online access to Purdue Libraries’ online resources will remain the same; users will be prompted to log in upon attempting to access Libraries’ resources.
For more information, contact Purdue Libraries’ LibAnswers service at http://answers.lib.purdue.edu/ or via eResources support at www.lib.purdue.edu/help/eresources-support.
Filed under: generalAugust 9th, 2018
As of Monday, Aug. 13, gaining access to Purdue University Libraries’ valuable online scholarly resources while on campus will require students, faculty, and staff to log in using their Purdue University career account credentials.
Formerly, users accessing Purdue Libraries’ online resources while working anywhere on the West Lafayette campus would be logged in automatically (through IP address detection) to view and download Libraries’ online materials. The new log-in requirement creates an extra layer of security and is consistent with the Purdue log-in systems used across campus.
However, users who have already logged into a Purdue system (e.g., OnePurdue) on any given day via their computers and devices while on campus will not have to log in again; the only time the new log-in requirement will apply is when users attempt to log in to Libraries’ online resources without having logged into another Purdue system. Users who log in to access Libraries’ online resources as the initial way they access a Purdue online system will either be able to use their career account credentials or their BoilerKey passwords.
When users are not physically present on the West Lafayette campus, the process for gaining online access to Purdue Libraries’ online resources will remain the same; users will be prompted to log in upon attempting to access Libraries’ resources.
For more information, contact Purdue Libraries’ LibAnswers service at http://answers.lib.purdue.edu/ or via eResources support at www.lib.purdue.edu/help/eresources-support.
Filed under: generalJuly 27th, 2018
Last month, Purdue Libraries Assistant Professor and Business Information Specialist Heather Howard was honored with the annual Achievement in Academic Business Librarianship Award from the Special Libraries Association (SLA) Business and Finance Division.
According to the SLA website, the award recognizes the accomplishments of librarians who are new to the field of academic business librarianship. Qualifying criteria for this award include evidence of exemplary librarianship, such as published journal articles and/or books, conference presentations, excellence in teaching, online tutorials, or innovative services at nominees’ institutions. In addition to the recognition, Howard received a $1,000 gift.
For more information about the award, visit http://bf.sla1.org/awards/award-descriptions/.
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, HSSEB, press_release, Uncategorized