Library Connect News

Are you a science librarian? Grand Challenge semifinalist projects are sure to interest you

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:30:50 -0500

You might've heard about about the Elsevier Grand Challenge, a competition calling for the scientific community to prototype tools innovating how life sciences information is used in online text databases.

This week, 10 semifinalists have been announced and descriptions of their diverse projects are available online. If you're a science librarian or just keeping on top of new developments in semantic publishing, you might want to take a look at the semifinalist project descriptions at www.elseviergrandchallenge.com/.

On the Elsevier Grand Challenge website, you can also read about the contest requirements and judging process, prizes and anticipated outcomes.

Hear Next Gen librarian's thoughts on internship with Elsevier; Listen to podcast now

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:48:11 -0500

What's it like to work as a marketing intern with Elsevier? How are librarianship skills applicable to marketing at a publishing company?

Listen to the latest Library Connect podcast, featuring San Jose State University MLIS student Risa Blumlein, and get answers to those questions and more.

Learn how 2collab can help librarians; Watch video or read factsheet

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:50:11 -0500

Likely you've heard about Elsevier's new collaborative research tool 2collab, designed to support STM researchers and freely available at www.2collab.com/.

But how can 2collab help librarians?

Find out by checking out the librarian-focused video and factsheet available at http://www.2collab.com/about.

Calling Next Gen librarians: What advanced technology benefits your library?

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:54:08 -0500

Are you a Next Gen librarian? If so, this call's for you.

In the next Library Connect Newsletter (6:4, October 2008), the Librarians Speak Up section will feature Next Gen librarians answering the question "What advanced technology benefits your library the most and why?"

To submit your brief answer to that question, please write to libraryconnect@elsevier.com.

To see a recent Librarians Speak Up section (LCN, 6:2) , please visit http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/lcn/0602/lcn060210.html.

Read about eLearning in latest Library Connect Newsletter

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:50:48 -0500

The latest Library Connect Newsletter, 6:3 (August 2008), is now available in PDF. Find it at www.elsevier.com/libraryconnect.

The issue's HTML content will be available at the same URL by August 20. (If you look at the PDF, you'll notice that the issue offers a bumper crop of online-only content. Yes, this publication now follows a hybrid model, with most content published in the print/PDF version but some content published online only in HTML.) When the issue's published in HTML, an announcement will go out here.

Want to sign up to receive the newsletter in P or E, or both? Visit http://mail.elsevier-alerts.com/go.asp?/.leadcapture.libraryconnect/bECU001.

View new podcast on Elsevier books & eBook readers

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:43:27 -0500

Are you curious about how folks can access Elsevier books via eBook readers?

Well, then, watch or just listen to the new Library Connect podcast featuring Elsevier Electronic Product Sales Senior Manager Tom Rosenthal. Find the video at www.elsevier.com/librarians/multimedia.

Now available in Japanese: Pamphlet on scholarly publishing

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:38:12 -0500

Do you or your users prefer to read in Japanese?

The 2007 Library Connect pamphlet, "Journal Publishing at Elsevier: Facilitating Communication, Creating Community" is now available in Japanese.

See the PDF at www.elsevier.com/libraryconnect.

Read academic library ROI white paper in Japanese

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:34:37 -0500

The 2008 Library Connect white paper, "University Investment in the Library: What's the Return? A Case Study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign" by Judy Luther is now available in Japanese.

See the PDF at www.elsevier.com/libraryconnect.

Library Connect Seminar in Quebec, Aug. 13: You're invited!

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:01:01 -0500

Will you be in Quebec for IFLA? Well, then please consider attending the Library Connect Seminar in Quebec, on Wednesday, August 13.

Want to attend? RSVP to Elsevier Events Marketing Manager Lashaon McGee, by Friday, August 8: RSVP@elsevier.com.

Here is more info:

Topic: "Going the Distance: Measuring Performance in the Digital World"
Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Time: 10a - 2:15p (Lunch provided by Elsevier)
Location: Hilton Quebec, Porte St-Louis Room (on the first floor)
(An indoor walkway connects the Hilton Quebec and Quebec City Convention Centre.)

Speakers and topics include:

"University Investment in the Library: What's the Return? A Case Study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University Librarian and Professor of Library Administration Paula Kaufman
"Demonstrating Impact: CRKN's Experience in Redefining Research Infrastructure"; CRKN Executive Director Deb de Bruijn & CRKN Member Services Officer Allison Kelley
"Perspectives from Elsevier Journal Publishing: Changes, Challenges & Innovation" Elsevier Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics & Astronomy Publisher Sweitze Roffel
"Research Performance Measurement: Building Value in the Library and Beyond"; Elsevier Scopus Business Development Manager Gert-Jan Geraeds
"Marketing Libraries in the Digital Age: What's Next?"; Elsevier Global Customer Marketing Vice President Chrysanne Lowe

Do you work with Asia/Pacific region young scientists? Have you heard about ProSPER.Net/Scopus Young Scientist Award?

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:00:16 -0500

To encourage sustainable development in Asia/Pacific region, Elsevier's Scopus team and ProSPER.Net are teaming up to provide an award to encourage young researchers and academics in the Asia/Pacific region. The annual ProSPER.Net/Scopus Young Scientist Award will each year recognize an outstanding young scientist who's contributed significantly to the area of sustainable development.

At the ProSPER.Net International Symposium in March 2009, the award will be presented for the first time. Each year the award will focus on a particular area such as the environment, engineering and technology, agriculture, corporate social responsibility and business. In the first year, the award is focusing on business. Each year, an international panel of three recognized academics in the focus area will evaluate applications.

How will the applications be judged? Applicants' research performance, analyzed in an objective and transparent way via Scopus citation data and the Scopus h-index, will help determine applicants' influence in the targeted discipline.

Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature. Find more about Scopus at www.info.scopus.com.

Hear Judy Luther talk about challenge involved in determining academic library ROI

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:56:57 -0500

During the 2008 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California, Informed Strategies LLC President Judy Luther sat down with Elsevier Senior Communications Manager Kira Cooper to discuss the process involved in evaluating a university's return on investments in its library.

As part of an Elsevier-sponsored pilot study with Paula Kaufman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during 2007, Judy developed a formula demonstrating how a university's investments in its library have yielded a 4-to-1 return in grant income to the institution.

Interested in more details? Listen to this podcast (recorded in June 2008) discussing "University investment in the library: What's the return? A case study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign."

Scopus Summer School is now open! Register for free trainings at TrainingDesk

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:31:16 -0500

Looking for freely available but valuable skill training so you can help your authors, researchers and institution even more? Well, the Scopus Summer School is just the ticket.

To participate, just go to Elsevier's TrainingDesk site and sign up for any of the following expert-led trainings.

Evaluate Author Research Output: August 4 or August 8
Analyze Institutional Research Output: July 30, August 7 or August 18
Understand Journal Performance: July 29, August 5 or August 19

Session Times: 10a EDT or 2p EDT (Check your local time here.)
Session Length: 30 minutes

Reinventing your library? Get ideas from Weizmann Institute of Science library

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:22:24 -0500

The Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) in Israel is using budget, manpower and space to reinvent their library. What specifically are they doing?

They are:

Migrating more resources from print to electronic
Training staff to take the role of research assistants
Transforming space once dedicated to print collections so it's available as conference rooms, lecture halls and laboratories

In the recent Library Connect Newsletter article “How we’re moving to a primarily digital library,” Professor Yigal Burstein discusses the WIS library reinvention project and credits the change in part to the information needs of Millennials.

~Posted by Risa Blumlein, Library Marketing Intern
Elsevier, San Diego

Going to IFLA? Register for LC Seminar by Aug. 8

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:24:20 -0500

During the upcoming IFLA conference in Quebec City, librarians and Elsevier colleagues are gathering for a Library Connect Seminar on Wednesday, August 13, 2008.

Want to join us? RSVP by Friday, August 8, by writing to RSVP@elsevier.com.

Seminar time: 10:00a – 2:15p (Lunch provided by Elsevier)
Seminar location: Hilton Québec, Room - Porte St-Louis, 1st floor; 1100 René-Lévesque East, Québec, Québec, G1R 4P3
Getting-there tip: An indoor walkway connects the hotel to the Convention Centre.
Seminar theme: Going the Distance: Measuring Performance in the Digital World

Who'll be speaking?

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University Librarian and Professor of Library Administration Paula Kaufman
(Canadian Research Knowledge Network) CRKN representative
Elsevier Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science & Astronomy Publisher Sweitze Roffel
Scopus Business Development Manager Gert-Jan Geraeds
Elsevier Global Customer Marketing Vice President Chrysanne Lowe

View photos from APAC events for librarians

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:29:04 -0500

Librarians and Elsevier colleagues have been meeting up a storm lately in the APAC (Asia Pacific) region.

For example, the first Directors' Forum organized by Elsevier to present the value of electronic resources to university librarians and research directors from Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines took place in May at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. The event brought info pros together to gain a better understanding of each other's tasks and objectives and encourage closer cooperation in the pursuit of academic and research excellence. The event also allowed university leaders from the three countries to share and exchange ideas. Learn more about the event by visiting http://asia.elsevier.com/directorsforum08.

Besides that action-packed forum, librarians and publishing colleagues have recently been meeting across Asia at Elsevier Connect Days and Library Connect Seminars.

See photos from Elsevier's recent APAC events for librarians by visiting www.flickr.com/photos/elsevier_apac/.

Find listings of upcoming APAC events for librarians by visiting www.elsevier.com/librarians/events.

Nominate your favorite scientists by Aug. 22! ScienceDirect’s For Great Thinking initiative honors today's science leaders

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:49:15 -0500

Have you heard about ScienceDirect’s For Great Thinking initiative? It offers librarians an opportunity to tell the world about breakthroughs and achievements coming out of your institutions. By participating in this initiative, you can put your professors, authors and researchers in the spotlight and publicize your institutions' scientific accomplishments.

Show the world why your institution should be known For Great Thinking! Be part of the celebration; submit nominations by August 22, 2008, and vote!

Find a list of nominees to date and other details on the initiative by visiting this site: www.forgreatthinking.com/home/.

Haifa University Library challenges staff to become information marketers

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:29:53 -0500

Several university libraries in Israel are changing their physical spaces, but the Haifa University Library is also changing its mental space.

In the recent Library Connect Newsletter article “How we’re transforming our library spaces and mindset,” Library Director Oren Weinberg explains how library staff members are becoming information marketers. The library at Haifa University is cultivating a fresh, new method of customer service that involves sales and marketing as part of daily activities, and staff are taking advantage of the opportunity to learn and grow.

~Posted by Risa Blumlein, Library Marketing Intern
Elsevier, San Diego

Going to IFLA? Come hear academic library ROI talk

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:18:53 -0500

During the upcoming IFLA Annual Conference in Québec City, Elsevier's Library Relations Director Daviess Menefee is giving a talk on "University Investment in the Library: What's the Return? A Case Study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign."

The talk will occur in the Elsevier booth, number 210, at the Quebec City convention center, at these times:

Sunday, August 10: 15:40
Monday, August 11: 15:40
Tuesday, August 12: 15:40

Please join us!

For a calendar of upcoming events where info pros can speak with Elsevier colleagues around the world, visit www.elsevier.com/librarians/events.

What if you were the publisher? Article 2.0 Contest invites you to try your hand

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:32:22 -0500

Have you heard about Elsevier's Article 2.0 Contest?

It's all about demonstrating the best ideas for how scientific research articles should be presented on the Web. Elsevier has built the Article 2.0 dataset and is now opening it up to developers via a REST API. Each contestant gets access to approximately 7,500 fulltext XML scientific articles (including images) and then gets to demonstrate how to present the articles contained in the Article 2.0 dataset.

The contest starts September 1, and ends December 31, 2008. Awards will be announced in January 2009. To learn how to enter this contest and compete to win great prizes, stay tuned to this Web page: http://article20.elsevier.com/contest/home.htm.

ICTP, ICN/MSD Mobile Library, IVSL, patientINFORM: Elsevier supports diverse information philanthropy programs

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:38:58 -0500

Many info pros are familiar with HINARI/AGORA/OARE, three programs making Elsevier journals available for free or at very low cost to institutions in under-resourced nations.

But what other information philanthropy efforts does Elsevier support? Here are a few: the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, International Council of Nurses Mobile Library, Iraqi Virtual Science Library, patientInform and RE Cares.

Library Connect pamphlet #11, "Information Philanthropy Initiatives: A Guide to Helping Libraries & Researchers Worldwide" features a page listing those additional programs that Elsevier supports and giving a few details on each - plus a link to its website.

Find this quick list of additional information philanthropy programs, located around the world and serving diverse communities, at http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/lcp/1101/lcp110110.html.

How do online books support academic researcher productivity?

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:00:52 -0500

The latest ScienceDirect white paper, "The Role of Online Books in Supporting Academic Researcher Productivity," discusses the integration of eBooks into the scientific workflow. Specifically the paper addresses how eBooks play a part in core research, contributive research and teaching more effectively.

Find the paper at www.elsevier.com/wps/find/librarians.librarians/whitepapers.

Hebrew University renovates the library

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:15:34 -0500

Libraries at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem are changing their look. And rightly so—the information universe is too.

LCD screens, lounges and wireless are the new standards. And according to Edith Falk, Chief Librarian of the Hebrew University Library Authority, they need to be, if HUJ wants the library to remain the center of campus.

In the recent Library Connect Newsletter article "How we’re redesigning academic libraries to keep them as the center of campus," Edith explains how HUJ libraries are adapting to a rapidly changing world of information.

~Posted by Risa Blumlein, Library Marketing Intern
Elsevier, San Diego

Hear Drexel University librarian Jay Bhatt talk about using 2.0 to reach & support Millennials

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:59:43 -0500

How can librarians harness the power of social networking to help students learn about new information resources and support students' group work?

Find out in the latest Library Connect podcast featuring Drexel University engineering librarian Jay Bhatt talking about using Facebook, del.icio.us, 2collab or wikis to connect with Millennials.

Find all our Library Connect podcasts - featuring interviews with academic or LIS newsmakers - at http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/librariansinfo.librarians/libr_multimedia.

Somaliland maternity hospital benefits from Book Aid International & Elsevier support

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:35:36 -0500

Edna Adan Ismail founded and directs the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland. In Library Connect pamphlet #11, "Information Philanthropy Initiatives: A Guide to Helping Libraries & Researchers Worldwide," Edna tells the story of a young life saved through care provided at her hospital - care informed by training supported by textbooks donated by Book Aid International. Elsevier partners with Book Aid to sponsor library growth in developing countries including Somaliland.

Read all of Edna's story in Library Connect pamphlet #11 at http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/lcp/1101/lcp110105.html.

LISR article on tweens earns award

libraryconnect@elsevier.com (Elsevier Library Connect) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:22:03 -0500

The American Library Association’s Library Research Round Table has awarded the 2008 Jesse H. Shera Award for Distinguished Published Research to the article “Studying the Everyday Information Behavior of Tweens: Notes from the Field,” published in 2007 in the journal Library & Information Science Research. Congratulations to the article’s authors Eric M. Meyers, Karen E. Fisher and Elizabeth Marcoux!

Find the LISR article at:

doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2007.04.011
www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/07408188

Want more news of interest to info pros? Read the latest Library Connect Newsletter (6:2; April) at http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/lcn/0602/lcn060201.html. (LCN, 6:3, will be out by August.)