News from the Field

David Free

UBC Okanagan Campus Library leads project to bring local history to life

A new online resource has brought the faces and names of the Okanagan’s colorful and vibrant history into the 21st century. Coordinated by the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus Library and featuring rich, local content from project partners, this new website brings the people and places from the Okanagan region onto the screens of valley residents. Recently launched, Digitized Okanagan History (DOH) currently includes nearly 4,000 photos and documents dating back to the turn of the last century.

The goal of the project is to provide a centralized portal to support research and generally improve access to local resources. Prior to the launch, anyone interested in accessing a photo or document dating back to the past century would have to visit the local museum or historical society—many of which are run by volunteers and have restricted hours. DOH links people to all 11 repositories and many of the hidden historical treasures on a 24/7 basis. Explore the project’s digital collections at http://doh.arcabc.ca.

Represent ALA on IFLA standing committees

Would you like to represent ALA on an International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) section standing committee? The biennial appointment process to represent ALA on relevant IFLA standing committees is currently underway for terms running from 2019 through 2023. The ACRL Board of Directors endorses candidates for election to a number of IFLA standing committees, with the ACRL Leadership Recruitment and Nominations Committee (LRNC) acting in an advisory capacity to the Board in recommending approval for appointment. Complete details on the application process are available in ALA Connect at http://connect.ala.org/node/274591. The deadline for nominations is May 4, 2018. Contact LRNC Chair Jennifer Nutefall at jnutefall@scu.edu with questions.

Newberry revises digital re-use policy

The Newberry Library has announced a major revision to its policy regarding the re-use of collection images. Images derived from collection items are now available to anyone for any lawful purpose, whether commercial or noncommercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library. Applying to everything from the pictures researchers take in the library’s reading rooms to the 1.7 million high-resolution Newberry images currently available online, the revised policy is intended to encourage users to interact more freely with collection items as they produce new scholarly and creative work.

Many Newberry items now available online are part of the public domain and can be used and shared freely without violating copyright law. These items include more than 30,000 French Revolution pamphlets recently added to Internet Archive and made available as a data set as part of a “Digitizing Hidden Collections” grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.

The Newberry’s new image rights policy follows the recent expansion of its digital collections, including the addition of a significant portion of the Everett D. Graff Collection. The Graff collection totals more than 130,000 images of books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and other objects documenting indigenous peoples in the Americas and the settlement of the American West. All subsequent additions to the Newberry’s digital collections, including a soon-to-be-released collection of sheet music and significant additions to the Edward E. Ayer Digital Collection, will also be freely accessible.

University of Washington Press joins UW Libraries

Starting March 1, 2018, the University of Washington (UW) Press joined the UW Libraries and now report to UW Vice-Provost of Digital Initiatives and Dean of University Libraries Lizabeth (Betsy) Wilson. The press and the libraries currently collaborate on a number of joint initiatives, including exploration of digital publishing platforms, open access publishing, open educational resources development, and support for digital scholarship. The press has also published a number of books in association with the libraries, including Rural China on the Eve of Revolution; Mary Randlett Portraits; Roots and Reflections: South Asians in the Pacific Northwest; and Shadows of a Fleeting World: Pictorial Photography of the Seattle.

IMLS accepting Native Hawaiian Library Services Grant applications

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for the Native Hawaiian Library Services grant program. Native Hawaiian Library Services grants are available to nonprofit organizations that primarily serve and represent native Hawaiians. These grants, awarded in amounts of up to $150,000 for two years, are designed to enhance existing library services or implement new ones. Successful grant projects will align with one of three project categories: preservation and revitalization; educational programming; or digital services. Funded projects include those that support individuals’ needs for education, lifelong learning, workforce development, and digital literacy skills; improve the quality of and access to library and information services; or enhance the skills of the current library workforce and leadership. The deadline for submitting applications is May 1, 2018. See the IMLS website for grant guidelines at www.imls.gov/grants/available/native-hawaiian-library-services.

LYRASIS releases guidebook for open source sustainability

LYRASIS recently released a new guidebook as the culmination of the “It Takes a Village: Open Source Software Sustainability” project. The guidebook is designed to serve as a practical reference source to help open source software programs serving cultural and scientific heritage organizations plan for long-term sustainability. This sustainability effort includes ensuring that commitment and resources will be available at levels sufficient for the software to remain viable and effective as long as needed. The project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The guidebook can be accessed at www.lyrasis.org/technology/Pages/IMLS-OSS.aspx.

MLA International Bibliography adds new subject modules

In January 2018, the Modern Language Association (MLA) launched four new subject-area modules to accompany its online course “Understanding the MLA International Bibliography.” Each module focuses on searching the bibliography for scholarly publications in one of four disciplines: folklore, linguistics, film (including television, video, and other broadcast media), and rhetoric and composition. Students who complete the new modules can earn badges in each of these four subject areas.

The main course, “Understanding the MLA International Bibliography,” consists of five units and covers basic and advanced database search techniques, peer review, publication types, and finding full-text publications using bibliography citations. The course and its accompanying modules are free and available for reuse and modification under a Creative Commons license, but students must have online access to the MLA International Bibliography through EBSCO. Visit mla.moonami.com to access the course and new modules.

OCLC extends WorldShare Management Services mobile capabilities

Following a successful launch in the United States, OCLC is extending its Digby mobile app to libraries worldwide, offering student library workers, volunteers, and staff greater efficiency, accuracy, and independence working with WorldShare Management Services (WMS). As a suite of web-based applications, WMS allows library staff to do their work in the library, at home, or on the go. The design of the Digby app provides instructions for handling pull-list and reshelving tasks. Digby lets workers scan library materials in the stacks, saving them time and reducing their reliance on paper slips. More information on WMS is available at www.oclc.org/en/worldshare-management-services.html.

Project MUSE releases new platform beta preview

Project MUSE has launched a beta preview of a newly redesigned platform. The beta site is a work in progress, with additional development and new functionality occurring on an ongoing basis and will run in parallel with the current site for the next several months leading up to the formal release of the new site in mid-2018. A feedback form is available on the beta site and comments, questions, and suggestions are encouraged. The beta site is available at https://t.e2ma.net/click/tc0r0d/9gmwj/1awhn1.