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Weekly News Digest

August 6, 2013 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today. CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.

NISO Publishes Fifth Edition of Data Dictionary

The Z39.7 Standing Committee maintains the standard, which was first published in 1968 under the title “Library Statistics.” The data dictionary came online in 2004, and in 2008, NISO began continuous maintenance on the standard, which means that users can comment and make suggestions on its content. The Standing Committee evaluates possible changes biannually, according to Nettie Lagace, NISO associate director for programs. “When a sufficient number of changes have been accepted, a revision of the standard is presented for approval by the NISO Voting Members. This fifth edition includes all the accepted changes since the previous edition was published,” she says.

These changes include “reformatting and better organization, [and] the e-metrics that were introduced in the 2004 edition as a separate section have been updated and integrated into the body of the standard to make them easier to use,” says Martha Kyrillidou, Standing Committee chair. The new edition also added data-gathering tools and updated survey references. Kyrillidou stresses that the standard recognizes the importance of using integrative thinking when working in the digital environment.

“In addition to evaluating suggestions from the community, the Z39.7 Standing Committee regularly reviews other metrics-related standards and best practices with an eye of continuously improving the Data Dictionary,” according to Steve Hiller, another member of the Standing Committee.

Libraries need statistics to document their value and decide how best to use their services, says Todd Carpenter, NISO executive director. “Z39.7 is the key standard in the United States for this purpose and the current revision ensures that the standard remains up-to-date with the changing environment in today’s libraries,” he says.

Source: National Information Standards Organization

Thieme’s Online Platform Adds Primary Source Data

Now that the test period is complete, DataCite, a nonprofit network of 15 libraries and information centers, partnered with STM (the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers) to create recommendations for using primary data on online journal platforms.

The data in Thieme’s chemistry journals consists of computer simulations and new substance characterizations. Researchers used this data in their own articles but did not typically share it until Thieme’s test program. The data is currently accessible via a DOI (digital object identifier) reference on Thieme Connect. The German National Library of Science and Technology (TIB) worked with DataCite and Thieme to publish the primary data on Thieme Connect in a central archive.

“By gaining access to primary data university researchers can draw from a wealth of scientific resources that will directly benefit them in their own laboratory and research activities. This drives scientific progress by promoting synergies within the scientific community,” says Guido F. Herrmann, head of Thieme Chemistry.

Thieme encourages authors to contribute their primary data. “If a scientist publishes his primary data alongside his academic publication, these data will be archived permanently. Other scientists will be able to access, research, link to and of course cite them. They serve as an additional opportunity for scientific authors to draw attention to their research work,” according to Philip Kocienski, a test case participant from the University of Leeds.

Source: Thieme

EBSCO Discovery Service Partners With Talis Aspire

Talis Aspire is owned by Talis Education Ltd, which creates resource management solutions for educators. Talis Aspire’s two modules are called Reading List and Digitised Content; Reading List manages recommended learning resources and Digitised Content stores what is referenced on the Reading List. There are 100,000-plus reading lists in the module that link to learning resources such as textbooks, ebooks, journals, documents, videos, and webpages. Talis Aspire has a userbase of more than 1 million global students.

The EDS integration “will give Talis Aspire users the ability to accurately link their resources for improved accessibility and usability in the provision of reading materials for students. In addition, they will be able to take advantage of the many features in EDS,” says Keji Adedeji, Talis Aspire product manager. EDS will continue to expand its library technology platform partners, according to EBSCO Information Services.

Source: EBSCO Information Services

FirstRain Introduces Market Insights for Big Data Analytics

CMOs (chief marketing officers) can use Market Insights to track new or priority product areas, market to top customers and growing markets, compete with similar businesses, and gain insights from key executive buyers. The solution is cloud-based and uses algorithms to obtain visualizations from external information and social media that are relevant to each particular company. These results are then delivered to FirstRain customers using their social and mobile applications.

“Now with Market Insights, we are delivering the insights that provide a clear and continuous view into the events impacting each company’s go-to-market strategy—helping the whole company make better decisions, react faster to emerging opportunities or risks, and so grow their business,” according to Penny Herscher, FirstRain CEO.

Market Insights can be installed immediately for subscribed customers without needing IT resources or end-user training, and it can be accessed on mobile devices. Features include visualization of trends affecting target markets and regions, feedback from buyers discussing the company’s product or service, and side-by-side comparison of the business developments of competitors and partners.

“CMOs and other marketing leaders are searching for ways to equip their teams with real-time information and visualizations on their complex markets, customers and competitors—all in the context of the company’s specific market strategy,” says Evan Escobedo, a FirstRain customer from Zunesis. “I rolled out FirstRain’s Market Insights solution to more than 3,000 marketing, product and sales professionals at a Fortune 100 technology company and it provided them with an extremely sophisticated and fine-grained view of their target markets and buyers. Today, they’re using it to fuel the many daily tactical and strategic decisions they need to make in order to compete and win in their space.”

Source: FirstRain

Oxford University Press Releases New and Updated Law Products

OCL contains commentaries on case reports and analyses by European Union member states. It is continually updated to ensure timely information, and selected foreign judgments are translated into English.

OSAIL concentrates on public international law such as reference works and treaties from Oxford University Press. Titles in the resource are linked to case reports and articles in Oxford University Press’ database using the Oxford Law Citator.

ORIL has more than 4,000 reports from international, domestic, and ad hoc courts. Each report is full text, with headnotes, analytical commentary, and English translations for key decisions.

MPEPIL features peer-reviewed articles on public international law. This resource is jointly published by the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law and edited by more than 800 scholars and practitioners.

IC is designed for specialist sources such as arbitration awards, laws, and decisions; bilateral investment and multilateral treaties; journal articles; and monographs. These resources are also linked to other publications via the Oxford Law Citator.

Practitioners, students, academics, and librarians can subscribe to Oxford University Press law publications for comprehensive sources. All of the products are available via institutional subscription, though ORIL’s modules can be purchased separately and MPEPIL can be purchased by individuals.

Source: Oxford University Press 

De Gruyter Gets New Leadership and Offers Free Content

Anke Beck, vice president of publishing for humanities and the social sciences, became managing director of the executive board and supervises all editorial departments.

Sven Fund, CEO, became chairman of the executive board and oversees marketing and sales.

Carsten Buhr, CFO, runs the production and other operative departments.

The epublications of all three companies are now accessible on De Gruyter Online, and customers in non-German-speaking countries can now work with De Gruyter’s distribution team.

De Gruyter is offering free access to Akademie and Oldenbourg digital content this month (from Aug. 5 to Sept. 2) in gratitude for customers’ support during the transition period.

Source: De Gruyter

Cambridge Journals Online Enters API Beta Phase

Cambridge University Press hopes participating developers will find new ways to use CJO content. On the API website, developers are encouraged to “run a live list of all articles published on CJO, or you can take a feed for a keyword or search term … the only limit is your creativity.” There will be more data for the API once the project is finished its beta phase.

“In line with Cambridge University Press’s commitment to advance learning, knowledge and research worldwide, the adoption and implementation of the Cambridge Journals API programme has the potential to open up new, beneficial uses for journal data that can be freely shared with the academic community. Cambridge Journals will continue to work on ways to offer more data via the API in future and welcomes feedback and suggestions for improvement,” says Chris Fell, digital publishing director for Cambridge Academic.

Source: Cambridge University Press