What the University Library Is Doing

The Georgia State University Library is undertaking a number of initiatives to address the various scholarly communication issues.

1. To ensure that the library's collections are developed and managed effectively, book selectors in the University Library are assigned to each academic discipline or organized research unit. These Librarian Subject Specialists provide a wide range of services, including collection assessment and development, specialized reference consultation, and introductions to library resources for classes with intensive library projects. Members of the faculty are encouraged to consult with these librarians on issues pertinent to their use of the library for teaching and research.

 

2. To broaden the Georgia State University community's access to scholarly literatures, the Libraries have been subscribing to electronic resources (books, journals, and databases) that are available off campus. Users can find and access them via GIL, the Library Catalog and the Find Articles and More (Electronic Resources and Databases) page.

 

3. To make the electronic materials the library purchases more accessible, the library implemented SFX, an OpenURL link server from Ex Libris that helps library patrons navigate to resources and services relevant to their search queries.

 

4. To support the open access initiative, open access journals of high quality, such as PLoS Biology, have been added to GIL, the Library Catalog. This not only facilitates access to them, but also helps introduce users to this alternative model of scholarly publishing.

 

5. To respond to pressure on the materials budget, the University Library is limiting journal subscriptions to either print or electronic format, not both. The guidelines for selecting between electronic-only access, electronic and print access, or print-only access for journals, are as follows:
   • Is a safe/permanent electronic archive guaranteed?
   • Is perpetual access to electronic back issues guaranteed to GSU?
   • Are all issues present to date (i.e. there is not a “moving wall”)?
   • Is there a browsing advantage which makes print availability important?
   • Are there untenable restrictions on Interlibrary Loan?
   • Is the search engine for the publisher/site sophisticated?
   • Is there added value in getting electronic only (for example: access to more titles)?
   • Is there a substantial cost savings involved?
   • Is the content of the electronic version the same as the print?
     • Is it a good quality (native) PDF image?
     • Are images available?
     • Are color images available if color is important (e.g. scientific or art journals)?
     • Are charts available?
     • Are all articles present?
     • Are letters to editor, advertisements, and call for papers included?

    

6. To support the movement toward open access and lower cost journals, the University Library has joined the following:
   • SPARC
   • BioMed Central

 

7. To highlight the scholarship of graduate and honors students, the majority of Masters Theses, PhD dissertations, and undergraduate Honors Theses submitted after December 2004 are being made available through the GSU Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) Database.

 

8. To support the creation of Open Access Journals, the library is hosting an open source journal management and publishing system for use by faculty members. The Library is already using this software to host an open access journal, Open Access Research (OAR).

 

9. To expand access to, and highlight the value of, research produced by the Georgia State University community, the University has developed an institutional repository:  The Digital Archive @ Georgia State University.

Scholarly Communication | The Issues |
Alternative Publishing Models | Copyright |
What Faculty Can Do | What the Library is Doing