Strategic Actions, Goals and Accomplishments

Scholarly Communications Unit: Key Activities and Accomplishments

Owned by Nancy Turner
Last updated: Dec 02, 2020
2 min read

 FY 19-20

  • Institutional Repository 
    • Oversaw the successful soft launch of our new institutional repository, TUScholarShare, in fall 2019.
    • Engaged faculty and librarians as beta-testers.
    • Managed the successful transition of TUScholarShare from our local DSpace instance (used during soft launch) to our hosted DSpace instance, which went live in March 2020, including working with our vendor Atmire on extensive customizations and the migration of all content
    • Established a new advisory board for TUScholarShare, made up of stakeholders throughout the Libraries
    • Worked with SCSST to develop a TUScholarShare communications toolkit for liaisons
    • Worked with Communications & Outreach to develop a marketing plan for the official fall 2020 launch
  • Open Access Publishing Fund --
    • Helped cover the costs of 13 open access articles in 2019-2020. The Fund was once again exhausted before the end of the fiscal year.
  • North Broad Press (joint Libraries/Press open access imprint)
    • Published our first open textbook, Structural Analysis, in fall 2019
    • We put out our second call for proposals for faculty-authored open textbooks in spring 2020.
    • We received 16 applications and funded 6 new textbooks.
    • North Broad Press currently has 13 open textbooks in progress and we plan to publish 2 new textbooks by the end of 2020.
  • Journal Publishing Services 
    • Launched 2 new journals in spring 2020: CommonHealth, sponsored by the College of Public Health, and Mundi, sponsored by the Global Studies Society.
    • Successfully upgraded our instance of OJS to version 3.1.2.4
  • Other 
    • Organized the first ever OpenCon Philly in fall 2020, which was also the first conference to take place in Charles Library. Collaborated with units from across the Libraries and the region to make it happen. Successful solicited funds from other university libraries to help cover the costs of the event so that it was free to participants.

FY18-19

1.Institutional Repository

  • Oversaw the development, design and implementation of the new institutional repository, TUScholarShare, which is planned for a soft launch in fall 2019
  • Hired a Scholarly Communications Assistant to manage the day-to-day operations of our new institutional repository and assist with publishing services

2. The Open Access Publishing Fund 

  • We helped cover the costs of 15 open access articles in 2018-2019, the most ever. Also, for the first time, the Fund was exhausted before the end of the fiscal year.
  • Created a variety of marketing materials to get the word out about the fund

3. North Broad Press (joint Libraries/Press open access imprint)

  • We successfully launched our first call for proposals for faculty-authored open textbooks.
  • We received 19 applications and could only fund 4
  • Wrote business plan and philosophy of service for the imprint
  • North Broad Press currently has 8 open textbooks in progress and we plan to publish our first textbook in fall 2019

4. Journal Publishing Services

  • Successfully upgraded to OJS3, with help from Library Technology Development 
  • Wrote an MOU to give to new and existing journal managers 
  • All three of our journals published new issues in spring 2019 
  • Began working with the College of Public Health to launch a new journal in 2020

5. New Library Website

  • Played an important role in drafting and organizing content related to publishing services and the repository for the new website

6. Blog

  • Continued to write about open access, open education, publishing, and more for the Scholarly Communication @ Temple blog