More on open access publishing

Moves to promote open access publishing continue, with the traditional academic publishing models coming under increasing scrutiny.  This entire topic can be a little overwhelming, so whenever we see a contribution that explains a part of it in detail, or provides a new argument for or against it, we will publicise it here.  Last week, Laura Wilkinson, a librarian from the University of Sunderland, asked for feedback on an introduction to the subject she has written for a forthcoming book.  Here is what she has to say
http://darkarchive.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/an-introduction-to-open-access-for-academics/

NVivo Training this Thursday

If qualitiative data are a part of your research at YSJ, you might be interested in using NVivo software. ILS will be holding an Introduction to NVivo workshop this Thursday 04/10 at 10:00 on the ground floor of Fountains.

YSJ's Academic Technologies Trainer leads workshops throughout the year that might be of interest to researchers; the full schedule of events can be found here
http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/information-learning-services/information-learning-services/services-for-you/undergraduates/academic-liaison-librarians/academic-technologies-trainer/workshops.aspx

NVivo is back

You should be able to access NVivo software on the virtual desktop again, meaning you will have access to it wherever you access the virtual desktop. Please send an email to ils@yorksj.ac.uk if you're experiencing any problems.

As those of you actively researching at the moment will have noticed, ILS are in the middle of a number of building, collection and computing infrastructure updates over this summer holiday. These investments should improve the experience for all YSJ community members over the long term and we hope you will bear with the -- actual and metaphorical -- dust until the start of term.

Changes at the British Library

The British Library has updated its reading room policies at Boston Spa.  Here's the message we have received from them:

We are introducing major changes to the way Readers gain access to our Boston Spa Reading Room and use our collections. 

We are bringing Reader Registration and security measures at Boston Spa into line with those in place in the main Reading Rooms at St Pancras in London. Ordering will also undergo major changes.

The changes will allow you to access a much wider range of our collections.

From 10 September:

• You will need a full British Library Reader Pass (a photo-pass) to gain access to the Reading Room and order collection items.
• Online ordering via our online catalogue, Explore the British Library, will replace manual ordering. You will be able to use Explore to request the collection items that you wish to view in the Reading Room.
• Collection items you wish to view should be requested online 48 hours in advance.

After 10 September it will not be possible to enter the Reading Room without a Reader Pass. It will also no longer be possible to place a manual order for collection items.

Why is this happening?

The changes are necessary so that the newly-refurbished Boston Spa Reading Room can, for the first time, provide access to a wide range of print newspapers collected by the Library through legal deposit.

The British Library’s legal deposit collection contains many items that are unique, so increased levels of security and collection care are essential – hence the need for full Reader Registration.

Because these and other collections are held in environmentally controlled, fully automated storage systems, the transition to a fully automated process of ordering and retrieval is necessary.

What you should do next

• We strongly recommend that you pre-register for a full British Library Reader Pass, if you do not already have one. You can pre-register online, on the British Library website (www.bl.uk) click on Services then Register for a Reader Pass then follow the links.
  You can pre-register online now and complete your registration by coming to the Boston Spa Reception on, or after, 10 September. Please note: To complete your registration you will need an original form of identification (e.g. passport, driving licence) and a current proof of address (e.g. a utility bill). A full list of acceptable forms of ID is available on our web pages.
• Having pre-registered online, you should use Explore the British Library (http://explore.bl.uk) on, or after, 8 September to request in advance those items you wish to view when you next visit on, or after, 10 September.
  There is online help during the order process and help available from the home page of the catalogue: http://explore/bl.uk. Reader Service Enquiries can help you order, or order on your behalf, until you are familiar with online ordering.

Note: The benefit of pre-registering online is that you can request items in advance before you have completed the registration process. However, if you do not want to pre-register online you can register in person at the Boston Spa Reading Room from 10 September onwards. If you choose to register in person on, or after, 10 September you will not be able to request items to the Reading Room for delivery on that day.

How these changes will benefit you

These changes will allow you access to a much wider range of our collections.

In November, you will be able to access a range of items from the print legal deposit Newspaper Collection, which is currently being moved from Colindale in North London to the Newspaper Storage Building at Boston Spa. More details about the titles that will become available will follow during this autumn.

Once the newspaper material has become available at Boston Spa, access to some other legal deposit collections will be explored on a pilot basis.

Contact details

Customer-Services@bl.uk  +44 (0)1937 546060

Reader-Services-Enquiries@bl.uk +44 (0)1937 546363

ResearchGate for Postgraduate Researchers

There's been quite a buzz around ResearchGate over the past 2 years. A few researchers have asked us about it and we've been talking about it among ourselves in ILS. The site's tagline is: 'For Scientists. Access scientific knowledge, and make your research visible' and it is designed to function like LinkedIn but tailored to a scholarly community with additional support for publication lists, data sharing, professional networking, information seeking, and for keeping up with others at an institution or within a specific discipline. This blogger has written a decent overview of the site as well as pros and cons.

ResearchGate bills itself as a 'free' service but, as with all web-based services of its type, it's not really free but happily uses the data you supply it to build its business. As with any 'free' web-based service, make sure you're comfortable with the terms under which you're giving your personal information to the site's owners.

In addition, look carefully at the privacy and notification options when you're signing up. You may inadvertently give ResearchGate permission to send emails to everyone in your contact list and even to contact co-authors on your publications to say that you 'recommend' that they sign up for ResearchGate as well. As you know, a 'recommendation' from one researcher to another can carry a great deal of weight and may seem inappropriate in some situations.

After considering these cautionary words, if you do decide to create a profile and begin using the site, it's another useful way to shape your digital presence, make contacts, share data, keep on top of your reading and network with your peers. If you're interested in other ways to do these same things, consider coming along to an ILS drop in workshop on Publishing and Promoting your Research. We'll be offering them again in Autumn term.

Access to NVivo

We're currently trying to resolve an issue with the NVivo installation on the YSJ Virtual Desktop (VDI) and you will not be able to access it on the VDI for the time being. Our apologies for the downtime. Please send an email to ils@yorksj.ac.uk if this downtime has an impact on your research. If you have a local copy of the software and are notified that the license is expiring, please also contact ils@yorksj.ac.uk to get it updated.

RefWorks - new help tool available

When it comes to storing and using the references you have found, we know many of you are using RefWorks.  As this is the main bibliographic referencing tool to which YSJ subscribes, it is one for which we offer the widest range of support.  We'll be offering the chance to attend bookable group tutorials from the beginning of the next academic year.  In the meantime, please feel free to contact your Academic Liaison Librarian for one-to-one advice.

Further to this, we have developed a step by step guide to setting up and beginning to use a RefWorks account.  This was done in response to a request from a Senior Lecturer in the Children, Young People and Education department (Faculty of Education and Theology).  He wanted an online tool which he could integrate into his teaching and we thought it would help to have this available to everyone.  So, here is the 10 Days of RefWorks programme.  Some of the information will be very familiar to you already, but the bits that cover the mechanics of using the tool may be useful to you if you want to explore it yourself. Also, if you teach any modules, you may want to use it with your own students.