Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 Inspire supports libraries from all sectors in working together to enable members of communities across the UK engaged in lifelong learning or research to find and access their information needs. News The British Library Big UK Domain Data for the Arts and Humanities The British Library, the web archiving team are involved in this important new project, which builds on two earlier collaborative projects, both funded by the JISC: the AADDA project (with the IHR) and (at the Oxford Internet Institute) Big Data: Demonstrating the Value of the UKW Web Domain Dataset for Social Science Research. The web archive holdings of the British Library for the UK consist of three main parts, each compiled under different conditions at different times, and accessed in different ways. One of the long-term outcomes of this project is to help us bring some of these access arrangements closer together. The JISC UK Web Domain Dataset is one of these and is the focus of this work. It is a copy of the holdings of the Internet Archive for the .uk top level domain for the period 1996 to 2013. The search and analysis interface for this is not yet publicly available, although individual items within it are available from the Internet Archive’s own site if you know the URL you need. There are also several datasets derived from it available for download on a public domain basis. Although not a complete record of the UK web for that period, it is the most comprehensive such archive in existence. We are delighted to be working with arts and humanities researchers to develop the next generation of search and analysis tools to interrogate this unique dataset. Over time, those new tools should also greatly enhance the ways in which users can work with all three components of our web archives for the UK. More here Wales National Assembly for Wales’ Communities, Equality and Local Government committee report provides strong support for Public Libraries Following its inquiry into public libraries in Wales, the National Assembly for Wales* Communities, Equality and Local Government committee published its report on 23rd July 2014. The inquiry covered a range of matters including Welsh Government policy, legislative frameworks, impact of public sector cuts, alternative models of provision, and the 'contemporary and community role' of public libraries. The report gave 10 recommendations for the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport, including that he should: 1. Produce and publish an annual report on the state of public libraries in Wales 1 Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 2. Make arrangements for the central publication of disaggregated data showing the use of public libraries by demographic groups 3. Work with partners to develop a contemporary definition of 'comprehensive and efficient' library services for local authorities to deliver under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. Such a definition should include the provision of internet access which should remain free of charge 4. Consider developing a voluntary accreditation scheme for individual libraries in Wales 5. Continue to work with local authorities and their partners to identify and promote further opportunities for collaboration and co-location arrangements in the delivery of library services 6. Ensure that the necessary ongoing support and guidance is available in order to increase the long-term sustainability of community managed libraries 7. Ensure that adequate support and guidance continues to be available to local authorities to identify and pursue all available funding opportunities 8. Explore with local authorities all other available options for libraries to raise revenue whilst core library services should remain free of charge 9. Work with local authorities and partners to promote better the wide range of services provided by public libraries 10. Continue to pursue the case for additional funding from the UK Government in recognition of the increasing responsibilities for library staff in Wales in supporting the delivery of digital-by-default welfare reforms. It also states "...in our view, the delivery of library services in Wales should be led by professionals who bring the necessary knowledge and expertise to the role." (para 108) It concludes that "Libraries are unique in their contribution to so many areas of community life, including education, health and wellbeing, tackling poverty and social exclusion." The Minister will respond to the report, and his expert review panel will be considering this report in the preparation of their report into public libraries in Wales. * The report refers to the Minister for Culture and Sport as it was written before his portfolio changed. (Report also available in Welsh.) With Thanks to Alyson Tyler and her Welsh libraries blog for this overview of this report. However, also in Wales…. Powys considering the closures of 11 libraries AS MANY as 11 libraries could be axed under council cost cutting measures. Powys County Council (PCC) said it is considering the closures as one of three plans for the future of 2 Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 libraries in the county.http://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/135497/libraries-underthreat.aspx Scotland New National Librarian at the National Library of Scotland Dr John Scally has been appointed as the new National Librarian at the National Library of Scotland. He returns to where he started his library career in 1993 when he was appointed as a curator in the British Antiquarian Division. Since then he has worked at the University of Edinburgh as Director of University Collections and Deputy Director of Library, Museums and Galleries. In 2012 he became Director of Library and University Collections. Wealth of Reading Dumfries and Galloway’s regional libraries are hosting a special summer reading promotion for adults to coincide with the Commonwealth Games. The ‘Wealth of Reading’ promotion, which will run in all libraries until 30 September, has been designed to celebrate reading and the Commonwealth. Writers from around the world and books featuring places and characters from Commonwealth countries are available in print format in branches and on free downloadable e-books from.dumgal.gov.uk/ebooks. More here General News No copyright resolution for libraries Discussions regarding an international copyright instrument for libraries and archives again collapsed inconclusively at the 28th meeting of the Standing Committee on Copyright & Related Rights (SCCR) in Geneva, from June30 – July 4. In the early hours of July 5, Member States finally 'agreed to disagree' on any conclusions on copyright exceptions for libraries and archives, as well as a draft treaty for broadcasting. More here Keep in Touch with the Cultural Commissioning Programme’s e-bulletin The Cultural Commissioning Programme is a three year Arts Council funded programme running from July 2013 to June 2016. It aims to help the arts and cultural sector to engage in public sector commissioning by providing a range of activities and advice to support organisations in the arts, museums and libraries sectors. It also works to create a greater awareness amongst public service commissioners of the potential for the arts and culture to deliver their outcomes. Information about the support and resources available are circulated regularly through their bi-monthly e-bulletin and you can sign up here, to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Researchers welcome access to Science Classic archive 3 Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 AAAS and Jisc are pleased to announce an agreement which will give researchers, teachers and learners free access to over 100 years of peer-reviewed scientific news, commentary and cutting-edge research. The Science Classic archive will be available to staff and students in UK higher and further education and the research councils. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/researchers-welcome-access-to-science-classic-archive-15jul-2014 Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries) works with libraries to enable access to digital information in developing and transition countries. They are an international not-for-profit organisation based in Europe with a global network of partners. Founded in 1999, EIFL began by advocating for affordable access to commercial e-journals for academic and research libraries in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, EIFL partners with libraries and library consortia in more than 60 developing and transition countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Their work has also expanded to include other programmes designed to enable access to knowledge for education, learning, research and sustainable community development. As part of the collaboration, Edward Elgar Publishing has recently agreed to provide institutions in 41 countries with free access to its journals and development studies ebooks via the Edward Elgar Publishing http://www.elgaronline.com content platform. At a Tipping Point: Education, Learning and Libraries: OCLC Report In this latest report to the OCLC membership, At a Tipping Point: Education, Learning and Libraries, OCLC explores the information consumer's behaviours, beliefs and expectations for online learning. Fuelled by mobile devices, new learning platforms and economic incentives, learners are trying and achieving success with new learning models. The information consumer has become an online education consumer. The study aims to provide librarians with important information about the trends and triggers that are reshaping education—and the opportunities and challenges this shift brings to libraries. The report explores: Habits and perceptions of online learners Expectations for the future of online learning Top-of-mind perceptions of a college education Factors influencing the college choice Library use by online learners—on campus and online 4 Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 MOOCs—a massively interesting case study on the future of education The library brand Implications and opportunities for academic and public libraries More here. More Advice from the Clueless: The UK library situation from a US point of view It’s often amusing to read big bold statements about libraries from people who don’t know anything about libraries. It’s even more amusing when the statements are ludicrous. Ah, but what can one expect from a fellow from someplace called the Adam Smith Institute, which bills itself as “one of the world’s leading think tanks,” but which you’ve probably never heard of unless you live in the UK. The latest ridiculous suggestion is to close all the British libraries and have the government buy everyone a Kindle “Unlimited” subscription, because the writer knows even less about Kindle Unlimited than he does about libraries, apparently having never used either. (It gets better – ed.) : http://lj.libraryjournal.com/blogs/annoyedlibrarian/2014/07/24/more-advice-from-theclueless/ New home for Black Cultural Archives in Brixton The new home of Black Cultural Archives has been created through the renovation and extension of Raleigh Hall, a Grade II listed building in the heart of Brixton which opened on July 24th. This major centre for black history and culture, now houses a specialist research centre and reference library, dedicated spaces for education and learning, an exhibition gallery and a café. The £7million capital project has been supported by a £4million grant from HLF. More about the centre here Events Improving Health in Wartime - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine When: Monday 28 July 2014 to Friday 8 August 2014, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Where: Reception and Manson Foyer, LSHTM, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK Type of event: Exhibition 5 Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 August 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. To commemorate this event, the Library and Archives Service has created an exhibition to show how tropical medicine and public health professionals have worked to improve health in areas of conflict since the First World War. Selected from the School's archives and from the work of current staff, you will find out how Sir Ronald Ross survived a torpedo attack in 1917, what happened when the School was bombed during the blitz, how being a nutritionist helped staff member Dr Dean Smith survive a Japanese Internment Camp in the Second World War, why we have the war medals of Thomas Spence Dunn and how School staff have worked with people affected by the recent conflicts in the Balkans and Sudan. Full details are here: http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/events/2014/07/improvinghealth-in-wartime Lost Libraries 2: a walk through some more of London’s forgotten book collections When: Thursday 14 August 2014, 18.00-20.00 Where: Meeting point: Burlington House courtyard, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD (Tube: Piccadilly Circus or Green Park) Cost: Tickets are £10 each. Please email Jo Maddocks (Jo.Maddocks@bl.uk) to reserve your place. This event is open to all, so early booking is recommended. Twenty-first century London contains some of the finest book collections in the world, but what about the libraries that haven’t survived? If you know where to look, London’s streets and alleyways are crammed with the ghosts of libraries past. This brand new walk will carry you back through London’s history, to long-forgotten libraries, readers, librarians and collectors. In the company of Alice Ford-Smith (Bernard Quaritch Ltd), Lost Libraries 2 uncovers further links between London’s past and present book collections. From the heart of St James’s to the fringes of Bloomsbury, you will hear tales of enterprise, obsession, opulence, connoisseurship, secrecy and loss. The libraries have been specially selected for this new route into London’s library history. Newcomers and regulars are both welcome. 6 Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 The walk ends at approximately 8pm near both Holborn and Tottenham Court Road underground stations. Please be prepared for no breaks. Numbers are limited to 25 people, and pre-booking is essential so early booking is recommended. The second Jisc Monitor Development workshop Where: Jisc Brettenham House meeting rooms in London on When: Friday, 19 September 2014 from 10am to 4pm. Cost: Free The second Jisc Monitor Development workshop is run to involve users in the work being undertaken through the Jisc Monitor project. Monitor continues as a one-year project, which started in May 2014, to explore how a Jisc managed shared service might support institutions in meeting HEFCE Open Access policy. The project is continuing to scope proof of concept prototypes to respond to specific use cases, and these will be used to assess the feasibility of, and priorities for, developing a service. In this event, our second areas of focus will be on the challenges of monitoring spend for Open Access and Standards Development to enable efficient data exchange. As with the first workshop, the purpose of this second workshop is to continue to inform the project’s work by going further in capturing institutional requirements, identifying common ground and exploring variances in practice. In that way, it is a on-going process of user engagement for the project, with optional opportunities for attendees to attend subsequent online reviews to test and provide feedback on aspects of the project’s outputs as they are in development later in October. If you’re interested in attending, please fill out the event form by clicking on the Eventbrite link here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jisc-monitor-use-case-development-workshop-2tickets-12408894337 Discovering Collections, Discovering Communities: Forging collection-based collaboration between archives, museums and academia When: 29th and 30th October, 2014 Where: Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Broad St, Birmingham B1 2ND Cost: Registration is free and you can book your place here. Discovering Collections, Discovering Communities’ is a free collaborative conference organised by Research Libraries UK, The National Archives, Arts Council England, and in association with the Library of Birmingham and University of Birmingham, Cadbury Research Library. This year’s conference follows on from the success and popularity of 'Enhancing Impact, Inspiring Excellence: collaborative approaches between archives and universities' held at The University of Birmingham in September 2013. It will explore the 'discoverability' of collections across different formats, institutions and professions. It will investigate the 7 Inspire - eNewsletter July 2014 potential collections have for engaging with a range of communities, whether academic, socio-economic, or demographic. End Notes Nottingham’s ‘Read’ Flashmob here Molly the Library cat Surrey Libraries bring their libraries closer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWHmCrpBzAA Reminder: this newsletter is about collaborative activities, ideas and proposals throughout the UK – and beyond. If you would like to contribute information on events or developments in your area, whether they are large or small, or offer any other items which might be of interest to Inspire members –please send them to me at inspire2011@hotmail.co.uk. Any other comments or feedback on the Inspire e-newsletter also welcome. Thank you 8