Susanne Dobratz and Frank Scholze
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to provide an overview on certification of institutional repositories as a means to support open access in Germany and a description of…
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to provide an overview on certification of institutional repositories as a means to support open access in Germany and a description of the DINI Certificate 2006 developed by DINI, the German Initiative for Networked Information. Design/methodology/approach – The “DINI certificate for document and publication repositories” shows potential users and authors of digital documents that a certain level of quality in operating the repository is guaranteed and that this distinguishes it from common institutional web servers. The certificate can also be used as an instrument to support open access. Findings – Repository certification will not be the main factor in achieving open access to academic information globally, but it can support the spread of institutional repositories and enhance visibility of the “institutional repository”‐service. Research limitations/implications – The DINI Certificate as a “soft” certificate aims towards interoperability of digital repositories, the coaching idea prevails. It does not provide an exhaustive auditing tool for trusted digital long‐term preservation archives. Practical implications – The “DINI certificate for document and publication repositories” pushed the development of institutional repositories in Germany according to certain organisational and technical standards and contributes to the interoperability amongst digital repositories worldwide. Originality/value – This paper describes a unique approach that has been implemented in Germany and could be transferred to other countries and communities.
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Christine Merk, Frank Scholze and Nils Windisch
The purpose of this paper is to present how the JISC Usage Statistics Review Project aims to formulate a fundamental scheme for recording usage data and to propose a standard for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present how the JISC Usage Statistics Review Project aims to formulate a fundamental scheme for recording usage data and to propose a standard for its aggregation to provide meaningful and comparable item‐level usage statistics for electronic documents such as, for example, research papers and scientific resources.
Design/methodology/approach
A core element of the project has been a stakeholder workshop. This workshop was held in Berlin, 7/8 July 2008. Representatives of key stakeholder groups (repositories, libraries, COUNTER, IRStats, JISC, LogEc, MESUR, OA‐Statistics and other Open Access projects) were invited. During the workshop a fundamental scheme for the recording and the exchange of log files was discussed as well as the normalization of data collected.
Findings
The following mandatory elements describing usage events were agreed during the stakeholder workshop: Who – identification of user/session, What – item identification and type of request performed (e.g. full‐text, front‐page, including failed/partially fulfilled requests), When – date and time, usage event ID. The following elements were regarded as optional: From where – referrer/the referring entity and identity of the service. Usage events should be exchanged in the form of OpenURL Context Objects using OAI. Automated access (e.g. robots) should be tagged. The definition of automated access has to be straightforward with an option of gradual refinement. Users have to be identified unambiguously, but without recording personal data to avoid conflicts with privacy laws. Policies on statistics should be formulated for the repository community as well as the publishing community. Information about statistics policies should be available on services like OpenDOAR and RoMEO.
Originality/value
The paper is based on the detailed project report to the JISC, available at http://ie‐repository.jisc.ac.uk/250/
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Michael Seadle and Elke Greifeneder
The purpose of this paper is to describe the German Library Association (Bibliothekartag) meeting and the German Library Hi Tech award.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the German Library Association (Bibliothekartag) meeting and the German Library Hi Tech award.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a descriptive report.
Findings
One of the advantages of the Bibliothekartag over the American Library Association meetings is its relative compactness.
Originality/value
This report is designed to introduce the meeting to those unfamiliar with it.
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This editorial seeks to compare the German Bibliothekartag, the American Library Association Annual Meeting, and the International Federation of Library Associations meeting.
Abstract
Purpose
This editorial seeks to compare the German Bibliothekartag, the American Library Association Annual Meeting, and the International Federation of Library Associations meeting.
Design/methodology/approach
The method relies mainly on anthropological observation.
Findings
Conferences in cities with public transit, good restaurants, and decent technology, including wireless internet and projection in the meeting rooms, offer better opportunities for the social bonding that encourages repeat attendance.
Practical implications
Conferences at locations without these features risk losing regulars as technology increasingly enables communication without travel.
Originality/value
Interaction with the conference environment is not the only factor in making a conference experience successful but, without positive interactions, the option of doing business electronically becomes far more attractive.
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The purpose of this paper is to share with readers the issues of the 9th International Bielefeld Conference.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share with readers the issues of the 9th International Bielefeld Conference.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a descriptive report.
Findings
The conference discussed essential current and future developments towards enhanced libraries and information infrastructures meeting the emerging demands of eScience and eLearning.
Originality/value
Will be of interest to library and information professionals.
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A great deal of interest has been aroused in the retail trade over the last few months by reports of the development of a new OCR omnidirectional scanning system. Called Scantron…
Abstract
A great deal of interest has been aroused in the retail trade over the last few months by reports of the development of a new OCR omnidirectional scanning system. Called Scantron, the system has been developed by Herr Hans Scholze, with research being carried out by the Battelle Institute in Frankfurt. EPOS 80 scored a coup at their Congress in June in London by staging a presentation delivered (in German and translated) by Herr Scholze himself. In the event the presentation was somewhat inconclusive. Gil Jones explains why and attempts to put Scantron in its proper perspective.
This paper aims to provide a review of the most recent literature concerning document supply and related matters.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a review of the most recent literature concerning document supply and related matters.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on the reading of over 150 journals as well as monographs, reports and websites.
Findings
That the fundamental debate on the direction of scholarly publishing continues intensely. Electronic books remain a minority market but the literature at least remains optimistic. Open Access continues to grow but with continuing and widely differing views on its impact. Recent mandating decisions will mean a step change in the both the creation and the growth of institutional and subject repositories. Publisher pay per view is developing after a slow start.
Originality/value
The paper presents useful source of information for librarians and others interested in document supply and related matters.
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This paper aims to examine the purposive strategy behind the growth of cult wines in Napa California since the 1980s. By leveraging the growing wine reputation of the region, a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the purposive strategy behind the growth of cult wines in Napa California since the 1980s. By leveraging the growing wine reputation of the region, a small number of new owners used extensive financial resources from other ventures to make a finely crafted, high-priced wine, in small quantities and sold through restricted distribution channels. Their aim was to compete with Bordeaux first-growths and create wine that would evoke the luxury connotations of craft, heritage, reputation and exclusivity. Because they were new, they relied upon experts to rate their wine, thus creating instant legitimacy with high scores and appealing to a small group of wealthy wine enthusiasts, many of whom were insecure in their knowledge of high-quality wines.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured in-depth interviews with a sample of 13 cult winery owners, wine makers and a CEO were utilized in addition to descriptive statistics and secondary historical information drawn from public records.
Findings
Certain Napa producers have created iconic wines through purposeful behavior and extensive resources that are rare and difficult to imitate. Their success is also a function of positive accolades by influential wine critics whose scoring sanctioned their status as a luxury good. High prices and limited availability further manufactured the scarcity element that is crucial to maintaining demand for high-status goods.
Originality/value
This study examines the interface between supply of a product, external validation that legitimized it and a small but significant market of wealthy individuals who created the demand for it. This mosaic behind market creation reveals how successful producers have been in realizing the multidimensionality of luxury goods.
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Various economic growth theories propose a view of globalisation resulting in economic convergence. However, others suggest economic divergence (i.e. a widening gap between global…
Abstract
Purpose
Various economic growth theories propose a view of globalisation resulting in economic convergence. However, others suggest economic divergence (i.e. a widening gap between global rich and poor) and others still, different patterns of development. Hence it is necessary to validate such globalisation hypotheses with sound quantitative data.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper proposes the “Global Change Data Base” (GCDB) that includes an analytical tool (AT) providing correlations between primary and secondary data (by country by year) from the fields of population, agriculture, economy, energy and human development.
Findings
The AT is able to first test the hypotheses on global development and globalisation and second to suggest new hypotheses on the mechanisms of globalisation. Results can be used in curricula of Global Studies worldwide.
Research limitations/implications
These data analysis has still to be complemented by sociological, political and economic theories providing insights into global restructuration processes and structural transitions through globalisation.
Practical implications
“Forward-looking” as an emerging scientific discipline is supported by the proposed detailed analytical methods, namely by providing quantitative, in-depth techno-socio-economic megatrends.
Social implications
The perception of globalisation might be rendered more inter-subjectively traceable by the GCDB.
Originality/value
Up-to-date means of forward-looking are less detailed regarding economic sectors and energy sources compared to the proposed GCDB.
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This article aims to explain why geography is a prime discipline for analysing globalisation and a multicultural view of Global Studies. The generic approach of human geography to…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to explain why geography is a prime discipline for analysing globalisation and a multicultural view of Global Studies. The generic approach of human geography to first select an appropriate methodology is taken as a key approach.
Design/methodology/approach
Concepts from aggregate disciplines such as history, economics, and geography are scanned through during a short description of the historical genesis of these sciences and the paradigmatic shifts they have encountered.
Findings
There are four main theses: (1) values are created by appreciation; (2) development is growing jointly with responsibility; (3) accumulation of material value is seen as expenditure to achieve non‐material values; and (4) spatial relations are interrelated with social relations.
Research limitations/implications
Conceptual considerations have to be further corroborated by quantitative analyses using suitable metrics of “development”.
Practical implications
“Social and cultural geography” should contribute to any curriculum of “Global Studies”.
Social implications
Dialogue and discourse between world views is the essential, ideology‐free approach for understanding globalisation.
Originality/value
Unlike other scientific articles focusing on “facts”, this article focuses on perspectives. Thus, it explains “multi‐perspectivity” and a multi‐paradigmatic approach.