the case for a scientific institutional repository: a view from the laboratory

The Case for Scientific Institutional Repository: A View from the Laboratory

Cecelia Brown & June Abbas

7/12/09 1ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009

Benefits of an IRFunctions Outcomes

Concentrates intellectual capital… Makes it easier to demonstrate an institution’s scientific, social, and financial value

Removes physical page & formatting constraints… Enhances the visibility of an institution’s scholarly work

Breaks down spatial boundaries… Facilitates collaborations among an institution’s scholars

Removes geographical limits…Encourages partnerships with scholars beyond the home institution

Centrally assumes digital archiving functions… Ensures the long-term preservation of an institution’s scholarly works beyond scholars’ careers

Provides resources and expertise in digitization…Gives scholars time to devote to research and creative activities

Provides access to learning objects… Enhances classroom teaching

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 2

Crow, Raym. 2002. The case for institutional repositories: A SPARC position paper.  ARL bimonthly report 223.  Washington DC: The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition. http://www.arl.org/resources/pubs/br/2002br.shtml

If we build it, will they come?

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 3

No matter how much you Google map the ballfield, it's still 90 feet to the plate!

Participants

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 4

Field Rank Years @ OU

Astronomy Professor 19

Astronomy Professor 25

Botany Professor 0.5

Botany Professor 11

Botany Professor 22

Geographic Sciences Assistant Professor 2

Geographic Sciences Associate Professor 13

Geographic Sciences Professor 14

Geographic Sciences Professor 9

Geology Assistant Professor 1.5

Geology Assistant Professor 1.5

Geology Assistant Professor 11

Geology Professor 13

Meteorology Associate Professor 18

Meteorology Associate Professor 4

Microbiology Professor 10

Zoology Associate Professor 8

Zoology Associate Professor 4

Zoology Professor 9

Zoology/Botany Associate Professor 12

Knowledge of IRs

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 5

50% Maybe 50% No

“Anything on the OU Library website?” “…not heard of in the context of universities…”

“In concept…” “You tell me…”

“Academic Facebook?” “nuclear waste repository?”

“arXiv.org?” “know about databases and I know about finding articles online

NGC 7293 http://www.williams.edu/Astronomy/research/PN/nebulae/

7/12/09 6ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009

“NASA called up and asked us to validate their data…This is kids with buckets…”

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 7

http://pacrain.evac.ou.edu/

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 8

http://csa.ou.edu/

http://www.ou.edu/microarray/7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 9

http://www.oklahomaplantdatabase.org/

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 10

Websites Regularly Used

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 11

“I haven't picked up a journal in years…If it's not in astro-ph I won't see it…I check it every day…So if you don't post on astro-ph most people won't read it…”

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 12

100% Support!

Share data, course materials, and information*****

Learn what others at OU are doing****

Data back-up****

Promote OU***

Education and outreach**

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 13

Concerns About Establishing an OU IR

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 14

What would you contribute?

Students’ work*****

Publications***

Teaching materials****

Data**

Information about current activities*

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 15

Intellectual Property Concerns

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 16

30% No 70% Have Concerns

“have a hard enough time getting astronomers to read one.”

“only rich people can publish”

“not sharing, counter view of science”

“no data until published”

“I don’t do any sort of research that have the potential to be patented.”

“If there is something sensitive…and some is competing, we won’t make public”

“if it helps someone…that’s OK too” “sometimes do not know what people motives and agendas are”

As a contributor to the IR, what would you be willing to do?

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 17

What materials would you look for in the OU IR?

Teaching materials*****

People/Collaboration****

Data***

Publications**

Other students’ work**

No use*

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 18

Desired Features?

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 19

Web Tracking?

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 20

Surprises?• Educational opportunity

• Copyright awareness

• Wealth of OU repositories

• Traditionalists

• Maintenance Costs

• Technology Requirements

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 21

What’s Next?Interviews:

– Arts & Humanities Scholars– Social Scientists

Campus Wide Survey

Present data to administration:– Library– Information Technology– Vice President for Research– Provost

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 22

Thanks!Manda Overturf

Mary ParkerJennifer Prilliman

Jenny RempelKonstantin Tovstiadi

Participants

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 23

Questions?

Suggestions?

7/12/09 ACRL-STS, ALA, Chicago, IL, 2009 24