Springer releases white paper on determining RoI on e-books for libraries

July 1, 2012

A new white paper recently released by Springer, in partnership with Publishers Communication Group (PCG), entitled Scholarly eBooks: Understanding the Return on Investment for Libraries, explores how libraries might determine the value of eBooks, and why it is important to do so. The paper provides a broad view of the current state of eBook valuation, the implications of this measurement for the library community and the challenges that face those who are tracking these metrics.

While return on investment (RoI) for library resources may seem to be a simple question of money in vs. money out, the real difficulty in determining this value lies in the need to consider a number of factors, including savings in staff time, ease of access to eBooks, the effect on research and the space saved in the physical libraries. However challenging, the paper insists that it is still critical to determine eBook RoI as it could have profound effects on libraries where the allocation and prioritization of resources is concerned. The piece also states that it is important for librarians to stay up-to-date on developments from new and ongoing research into the value of eBooks. These studies provide support to librarians when challenged over how libraries contribute to a university, its students, researchers and reputations.

Wouter van der Velde, eBooks eProduct Manager at Springer stated, “This paper is a thorough exploration of how libraries might measure their investments now and in the future. It also describes why it is important to find a way of appraising these important resources in the context of 21st century library services.”

The paper is posted at www.springer.com/eBooks and will be available at upcoming meetings in hardcopy as well. For more information, please stop by the Springer booth #2108 at the American Library Association (ALA) annual meeting in Anaheim, June 21st to 25th, or contact your Springer representative at www.springer.com/salescontacts

SAGE releases SAGE Knowledge platform for eBook delivery

July 1, 2012

SAGE releases SAGE Knowledge platform for eBook delivery — Unlimited simultaneous usage of SAGE eBooks

Los Angeles, CA (June 21, 2012) – SAGE, the world’s leading independent academic and professional publisher, announced today the full launch of SAGE Knowledge: the ultimate social sciences online library.

Launching with more than 2,500 titles, SAGE Knowledge includes an expansive range of SAGE eBook and eReference content, including encyclopedias, handbooks, advanced textbooks, scholarly monographs, and professional development titles. The platform allows researchers to cross-search and seamlessly access a wide breadth of must-have SAGE book and reference content from one source. SAGE Knowledge also includes selected works from Corwin and CQ Press.

Available in Beta since March, more than 1000 institutions have already trialed SAGE Knowledge, including current SAGE Reference customers who will be migrated onto the new platform.

“We are receiving enthusiastic feedback from beta-testing,” said Karen Phillips, Editorial Director, SAGE. “Readers have commented on the excellent range of titles in SAGE Knowledge, user-friendly interface and easy navigation, and are particularly excited by the ‘related content’ feature, which will seamlessly link users to similar content within SAGE Knowledge and across other SAGE platforms. This functionality is powered through our partnership with Temis, making search and discovery more advanced for SAGE Knowledge.”

For readers, SAGE Knowledge offers titles in full text HTML as well as pdf download. In addition to quick and advanced search options, titles can be browsed through book portal pages and table of contents. Content is discoverable by major search engines at the title and chapter level to ensure students find SAGE content no matter where they start their search. Personalization features are provided to create reading lists and save searches. Functionality to enable easy social sharing of materials and citation options are also provided.

Libraries are being offered a range of flexible purchasing options, including mix and match of reference titles as well as collection and subject bundles. MARC Records and COUNTER reports will available. All DOIs are registered for each title and chapter and deposited in CrossRef.

“Librarians involved in beta testing have commented on the provision of unlimited simultaneous usage of eBooks on the SAGE Knowledge platform,” said Karen Phillips. “We’re conscious that librarians want to get demonstrable value from new digital resources. Flexible pricing was a key discussion in our initial planning, and we’re pleased to be able to offer a variety of options including subscription as well as purchase.”

Launch demonstrations and trials will be available at the ALA conference in Anaheim this weekend. For further information visit the SAGE booth at 1476 or seehttp://www.sagepub.com/knowledge.sp

Serials Solutions Introduces New Catalog Record Display and Consortia Catalog Support

July 1, 2012

New features in the Summon discovery service enable streamlined access of local library and consortia content by researchers

Seattle, WA – June 21, 2012 – Since the introduction of the Summon® discovery service three years ago, Serials Solutions®, a ProQuest® business, continues to rapidly release new functionality. The company today announced new catalog display functionality, as well as support for consortia catalogs in the Summon discovery service.

The new catalog detail page improves display of items from both local and consortia catalogs indexed in the Summon service. Optimized to include enrichment content from Syndetic Solutions™ such as book covers and table of contents and LibraryThing ratings and reviews, the catalog detail page was designed to entice the user to access the content. Libraries will now have the option to customize Summon records for catalog items to include additional enrichment content, custom text and intuitive linking options for placing holds, interlibrary loan requests and accessing e-books.

The new catalog detail page also represents the first step in providing functionality for libraries considering replacing their current OPAC with the Summon service. The open architecture of the Summon service, and the virtually unlimited customization options for the catalog detail page, create the optimal front-end discovery tool for any library services platform or web-scale management service, including Serials Solutions Intota™.

“We have tracked and measured the increase in traffic from Summon to our OPAC and are pleased to see that Summon is driving users not only to our electronic resources but to items in our local catalog,” said Jeff Daniels, head of technical services and electronic resource management, Grand Valley State University. “Observation of this user behavior coupled with this new seamless experience gives us confidence there is a viable pathway to replacing our OPAC.”

Unique to the Summon service, the new indexing capabilities for union catalogs and disparate catalogs enables researchers to easily scope searches using facets to a particular library or group of libraries pre- or post-search.

Unlike most existing union catalogs, Summon service users can easily scope searches to display catalog holdings from specific libraries within their consortia. This also facilitates convenient access to items available through shared borrowing arrangements. For institutions without a formal union catalog, this new functionality enables users to discover content with the flexibility to select combinations of collections tailored to deliver the most relevant search results.

“As one of nine member libraries in the WRLC, we are eager to explore this new union catalog functionality,” said Robert Reeves, E-Resources Applications Administrator at American University. “Facets in the Summon service will make it easier for our users to scope search results across our consortial catalogs to find the most relevant information for their research even if it’s not located here at American.”

New administrative tools provide a more efficient way and new options for customizing how local catalog records are mapped to match the library’s specifications in the Summon service – and optimized for display of the record. This added functionality will also enable librarians to easily see the mapping, evaluate how it’s working and make better modification decisions.

The new catalog features will be demonstrated at the American Library Association annual conference in Anaheim, CA, and new research conducted on the use of the Summon discovery services by the University of Huddersfield and Grand Valley State University will be presented. To learn the real impact discovery is having on increasing user satisfaction and usage of library resources, register for the educational event here.

“Launching new capabilities and the consistent evolution of the Summon service is possible because of our disciplined approach and commitment to introduce new features and updates every three to four weeks,” said Michael Gersch, senior vice president and general manager, Serials Solutions. “As we celebrate the third anniversary of the Summon service, it is clear the market has embraced this service and it is a positive reflection of our product development strategy. These new features provide compelling evidence of our responsiveness to market requirements and our ability to deliver value to our customers and users.”

Jay Jordan will continue as President and CEO of OCLC

July 1, 2012

The OCLC Board of Trustees has concluded that rather than moving forward with the appointment of Jack B. Blount as its President and CEO, it is in the best interest of OCLC to have Jay Jordan continue serving in these capacities. Mr. Jordan has agreed to postpone his retirement to continue leading OCLC.

The OCLC Board of Trustees believes Mr. Jordan’s strong track record, his skills as a leader, and his ability to identify and navigate emerging trends, make him uniquely qualified to serve the nearly 72,000 institutions that use OCLC services.

Board Chair Larry Alford said, “The Board of Trustees has complete confidence in the global management team and the 1,250 employees, who are working diligently to serve libraries around the world and fulfill OCLC’s mission and goals.”

Mr. Alford also said, “The Board is committed to an orderly transition of leadership and will be assessing its succession planning process as it moves forward.”

Mr. Jordan is the fourth president in OCLC’s 43-year history. He came to OCLC after a 24-year career with Information Handling Services (IHS), an international publisher of databases, and prior to joining IHS, Mr. Jordan held positions with the 3M Corporation in Europe and the United States.

ProQuest adopts MasterVision to drive results

June 21, 2012

DataSalon’s web-based MasterVision service integrates ProQuest’s key institutional datasets for a comprehensive single customer view and flexible product market analysis.

Leading information provider ProQuest has adopted DataSalon’s MasterVision service to provide customer insight and to drive customer engagement through better understanding of new customers and markets. This brings together a wide variety of data for individual library, institutional and consortia customers.

The single customer view provides a tailored display of key account information from ProQuest’s systems alongside Ringgold’s research data. This feature facilitates a better understanding of ProQuest’s relationships with its current customers, and enables the creation of very relevant communications tailored to each customer’s specific needs.

In addition, MasterVision’s analytic capabilities are being used to understand and to accurately track changes in customer choices over time. A flexible reporting tool enables the user to compare any customer group to any market segment definition drawn from the Ringgold data, providing both a macro-level view of product performance as well as micro-level detail.

“The combination of Ringgold’s reference data and DataSalon’s MasterVision product has provided us with an improved understanding of our products’ market performance and potential”, commented Lynda James-Gilboe, SVP Marketing and Customer Care at ProQuest. “We are also excited to be bringing our core customer data together into a single view for the first time, and we foresee many avenues of customer research and analysis opening up before us.”

“We are very pleased to be able to count such a large information provider as ProQuest as a client”, said James Culling, Client Director of DataSalon. “Our relationship with ProQuest demonstrates that MasterVision is far from being a tool for primary journals publishers alone. Rather, the challenges faced by all manner of information providers in the scholarly sector are very similar, as are the opportunities arising from the adoption of a single integrated view onto your core customer and market reference data.

Cambridge Journals Online syncs with mobile devices

June 21, 2012

The latest release of new functionality for Cambridge Journals Online (CJO) features a ‘Send to Kindle’ button for journal articles, plus the facility to twin a mobile device with CJO Mobile (CJOm) to access subscriptions from any location.

These features continue a stream of development which began in October 2010 with the launch of CJOm, a mobile-optimised website which also doubles as a low bandwidth access point for developing countries. The latest functionality builds on the knowledge gathered from users of CJOm since its launch.

The ‘Send to Kindle’ button is displayed at article level, and can be used by anyone with a Kindle or Kindle App who also has access to articles in any Cambridge Journal. When the ‘Send to Kindle’ button on CJO is clicked, a box is displayed into which the reader can enter their Kindle email address. CJO will then send the article to the reader’s Kindle account where it will appear in the home screen when they sync their device.

Mobile device twinning enables readers with access to Cambridge Journals via their institution to twin their smartphone, tablet computer or other device with CJOm so that they can access subscriptions when off campus. Devices can be twinned through two methods, either via CJOm while on an institution’s WiFi network (most institutions have a business service), or remotely by using the ‘Mobile Device Twinning’ option on CJO, which provides a twinning code that can be entered into the device. Either option results in access to the institutional subscriptions from any location with a mobile signal.

CJO benefits from three releases of new functionality per year, helping to keep it at the forefront of technological change in the academic journals sector. Further technical upgrades for mobile devices will occur during the next release of functionality in October 2012.

JISC launches resources to help universities implement e-portfolios

June 21, 2012

Moving e-portfolios into the mainstream: new resources demonstrate how e-portfolios can transform the student journey

Today JISC launches three resources to help universities and colleges to implement e-portfolios effectively at scale created from successful practice from the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The materials explore the ways in which you can help to boost learner achievement, enhance employability and even support the development of new courses.

Key messages from from these resources have been synthesised in to a short guide, ‘Crossing the Threshold’ , which summarises the issues and benefits experienced by pioneer institutions and provides signposts to key aspects of the resources.

JISC programme manager Lisa Gray says that a review of both the toolkit and supporting videos gives a thorough, accessible introduction to implementing e-portfolio tools.

She said: “What shines out from the case studies is the enormous potential that e-portfolios offer, and the benefits that they deliver to students over and above what they might achieve on their own, via Facebook or some other platform.

“Many universities, colleges and professional bodies, are now exploring the potential of e-portfolios on a wider scale, but there have been few attempts to share good practice and celebrate successes.

At Southampton Solent University, the e-portfolio system called Mahara, has been integrated with the virtual learning environment to enable students on media courses to give full rein to their creative abilities and sell themselves to future employers.

Fiona Burton, careers advisor at Southampton Solent University, said: “Employers say they can’t find graduates with the appropriate skills. Using an e-portfolio they’ll be able to evidence those skills.”

The University of Wolverhampton is another example of an institution that has been exploring more innovative approaches to e-portfolios, and has found that learners studying remotely can evidence their achievements and experiences more clearly, and achieve qualifications via an e-portfolio system such as PebblePad.

In addition to developing short courses for employees of local businesses, the university has launched a new undergraduate law degree that is being delivered entirely through an e-portfolio tool.

Explore the toolkit and video case studies

Read Crossing the Threshold in a format that suits you

JISC have also recently released an effective practice guide for institutions that explores ways how they can respond flexibly to the need of a broader range of learners and meet the opportunities and challenges presented by lifelong learning called Effective Learning in a Digital Age.

‘Open access’ move puts thousands of UK jobs at risk

June 20, 2012

Up to £1billion of income and thousands of jobs could be placed at risk as a result of a move by Downing Street to allow Google and other digital search engines ‘open access’ to the nation’s best academic and scientific research.

A report commissioned by 10 Downing Street sociologist Dame Janet Finch will say that open access to public-funded research ‘offers significant social and economic benefits’.

The study, due for release today, is part of a drive initiated by former Downing Street adviser Steve Hilton aimed at turning Britain into a digital hub attracting investment from internet behemoths such as Google.

But UK businesses fear that the proposals will destroy Britain’s highly-regarded academic publishing industry that modifies raw research, publishes it in the form of academic magazines, journals and books and exports it to the rest of the world.

One leading publishing group said the move to provide all of Britain’s academic output online for nothing could destroy a £1billion industry that employs 10,000 people here and in its overseas operations.

Much of the scientific work from the nation’s leading research universities is passed on to the academic publishing industry where it is subjected to so-called ‘peer review’, or examination by experts, before it is published in journals and books that are also available online.

The material is a valuable source of income to UK publishing houses such as Reed Elsevier, one of Britain’s leading publishers with a market value of £6billion, as well as the hugely-respected Oxford University and Cambridge University Presses.

Seven more university presses select Ingrams MyiLibrary e-book platform

June 20, 2012

As public, academic and professional libraries expand and develop digital offerings for patrons, more University Presses are working with Ingram and its comprehensive MyiLibrary® e-book platform to expand the reach of content to more readers worldwide.

The most recent university presses that have selected MyiLibrary to expand content reach include the University of South Carolina Press, University of Arizona Press, University of Minnesota Press, Southern Illinois University Press, University of New Mexico Press, University of Arkansas Press, and the University of Ottawa Press.

With more than 250,000 titles covering all major disciplines, Ingram’s MyiLibrary platform is the fastest growing online e-book aggregation platform for libraries. The platform offers libraries the flexibility to acquire and access content on individual title, publisher-specific, or subject collection level based on unique requirements and resources. Almost one thousand titles have been added from the most recent presses using the platform.

“At Ingram, we’re seeing a notable surge in the adoption and offering of e-books through our MyiLibrary e-book platform,” said Rich Rosy, Vice President and General Manager, Ingram Content Group library services. “We’re pleased to add more content from the world’s leading University Presses to our selection – using MyiLibrary, publishers are expanding the reach of content to the many libraries that are developing digital programs to meet the changing content needs of their patrons.”

The newest University presses that have added content to the MyiLibrary platform join Duke University Press, Princeton University Press, University of Michigan Press, Vanderbilt University Press, University of California Press, and others that are already using the platform.

Sir David Bell appointed as the next Chairman of the Cambridge University Press Syndicate

June 20, 2012

Sir David Bell will be the next Chairman of the Press Syndicate, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge has announced. Sir David will take up the position early in the new academic year.

The University of Cambridge’s statutes provide for the Vice-Chancellor or a duly appointed deputy to act as Chairman of the Press Syndicate, the body which supervises the affairs of the Press on behalf of the University, comprising senior academics from the University of Cambridge and external members.

Professor Tony Minson, former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Professor of Virology and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, has been Chairman of the Syndicate since 2009 and will be stepping down as planned as he approaches the end of his term.

Sir David Bell was appointed Chief Executive of the Financial Times in 1993 and was its Chairman from 1996 to 2009. In July 1998 he was also appointed Pearson’s Director for People with responsibility for the recruitment, motivation, development and reward of all its employees. Sir David Bell is a non-executive director of The Economist. He retired as a director of Pearson plc at the end of 2009 after 13 years on the Board. He is currently serving on the Leveson Enquiry.

Sir David was born in Henfield, Sussex, and educated at the University of Cambridge and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, expressed his deep gratitude to Professor Minson for his transformative leadership over the past three years, and said: “Cambridge University Press, and the Syndicate which governs it, is of great strategic importance to the University. I am delighted both personally and on behalf of the University to have secured the services of so distinguished a business figure and publisher as Sir David Bell to chair the Press Syndicate in the coming years.”

Discover Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies at IACMR, Hong Kong, June 20-24

June 20, 2012

Free online access to nine Emerald journals and the complete case studies collection

Emerald Group Publishing is delighted to attend the International Association of Chinese Management Research (IACMR) Conference in Hong Kong, from June 20-24, 2012, and invites all delegates to visit the Emerald stand to find out more about the latest products and services. In line with this year’s Conference theme of “Building Ethical and Sustainable Organizations in China”, Emerald offers free online access to its complete Emerging Markets Case Studies collection as well as nine research journals with a focus on sustainability, business ethics and regional management development from June 20-July 4, by visiting http://www.emeraldinsight.com/tk/IACMR2012

The selected journals in free access reflect Emerald’s increasingly strong presence in China, including a growing portfolio of region-specific content from the Asia Pacific. The selection features the well-respected Nankai Business Review International, which Emerald publishes in association with Nankai University, Journal of Science and Technology Science in China, as well as ISI-ranked titlesChinese Management Studies and Journal of Organizational Change Management.

Also available will be the complete Emerging Markets Case Studies collection featuring over 160 teaching case studies. This collection focuses on business decision making and management development throughout key global emerging markets. It has been developed in response to increasing demand from business educators and practitioners for quality-controlled teaching cases. Written primarily by case-writers working in developing economies, it offers local perspectives with global appeal

Visitors at the Emerald stand can find out more about the company’s book publishing programme, with recently published titles such as Action Research for Sustainable Development in a Turbulent World and Entrepreneurial and Business Elites of China. Emerald also recently signed an exclusive book distribution partnership with Paths International to bring knowledge from China to scholars around the world. As part of this agreement, Emerald distributes Paths’s collection of books that have been written in China by Chinese experts and makes them available to international communities of researchers and students. For more information about Paths International’s book collection, visit www.pathsinternational.com

For more information about Emerald products and services, visit www.emeraldinsight.com/tk/IACMR2012

ebrary Announces Extended Access

June 20, 2012

New service provides the benefits of multi-user access for purchased titles with less upfront costs

Adding a new dimension to its strategic approach to ebook acquisition, ebrary®, a ProQuest business, today announced Extended Access™ for titles purchased under a single-user license. Extended Access reduces up-front costs to the library, eliminates speculative purchases of multiple copies, and prevents turn-aways when titles are in use.

“Libraries no longer need to purchase multiple copies of e-books up-front based on what they think researchers may need, and they do not have to worry about turn-aways for titles in high demand,” said Kevin Sayar, President and General Manager of ebrary. “Extended Access allows libraries to strategically and more affordably expand the availability of purchased titles for a higher return on investment.”

There are a number of ways that libraries can purchase e-books from ebrary: They can buy individual titles and packs outright, automate purchases through their e-approval plans, and buy titles that are triggered based on usage through patron driven acquisition.

With Extended Access, libraries can now more cost-effectively purchase titles under a singleuser license and ensure access. If a title is in use, and another researcher needs it, the library can upgrade to a multi-user access model when available, purchase another copy, or take a short-term loan. The process can be automated and seamless to end-users, or libraries can receive email notifications and trigger the additional purchases themselves. Extended Access also provides an advantageous way for libraries to complement their Academic Complete™ subscription with perpetual archive titles. Academic Complete, ebrary’s flagship subscription product named as a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, has always offered simultaneous, multi-user access and now includes over 75,000 scholarly e-books. The thousands of libraries throughout the world who use Academic Complete as their base collection can now more affordably purchase additional titles with access on-demand.