home Cycle of Success, Ellis Library Institutional Support Models Could Revolutionize Open Access Publishing

Institutional Support Models Could Revolutionize Open Access Publishing

In addition to “producing grammatical descriptions and dictionaries for four varieties of the Luyia language cluster in western Kenya,” Michael Marlo is an Associate Professor of English and Linguistics and a member of the editorial board of the Language Science Press‘s Contemporary African Linguistics series. Language Science Press is an open access publisher of peer-reviewed linguistics books, including textbooks, and neither readers nor authors pay fees under the Knowledge Unlatched model, which instead relies on financial pledges from institutions and libraries to fund open access projects.

Michael’s editorship originally grew out of a desire to find a financially reasonable publishing outlet for the proceedings of the Annual Conference on African Linguistics. When researching potential publishers for book projects related to his National Science Foundation project, Structure and Tone in Luyia, he had also made note of their African Language Grammars and Dictionaries series.

“One of the major obstacles to the development of the field of linguistics is access to research results,” Michael says. For example, access to the digital version of the most prestigious publisher’s grammar series costs $10,000 plus annual fees for updates. A single book costs $200. Despite the prestige, Michael doesn’t intend to pursue publication through a press with such a prohibitive pricing model because that would limit his audience to those few whose libraries can afford access. He says, “While I recognize that there are still problems of access with publications that are primarily available as PDF downloads online, due to the fact that not everyone has internet access, having my work available for anyone to download is a major improvement in access over most other publishing options, which are either too expensive for readers or require a large subvention from the author, or both.”

Anne Barker

Last summer, Michael learned that Language Science Press was pursuing the institutional support funding model and asked Anne Barker, his subject librarian, if Mizzou Libraries could contribute. He was “thrilled” to learn that some funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities were able to be put toward the initiative. Michael says, “I believe [this model] has the chance to revolutionize publishing in my field, and possibly by extension many other fields in academia.”

Anne confirms, “Librarians have long been concerned that the commercialization of scholarly communication restricts access for individuals and strains library budgets. Changing the traditional publication funding model to provide for more open access is complex and challenging, but the Knowledge Unlatched model is promising. Mizzou Libraries is glad to be able to join this endeavor.”

Michael encourages students to use MOBIUS and Interlibrary Loan to access books outside of our collection. He also encourages students to find their subject areas in the stacks and look around. “There’s a lot of great stuff in there that you won’t easily find just by searching online databases!”

Cycle of Success is the idea that libraries, faculty, and students are linked; for one to truly succeed, we must all succeed. The path to success is formed by the connections between University of Missouri Libraries and faculty members, between faculty members and students, and between students and the libraries that serve them. More than just success, this is also a connection of mutual respect, support, and commitment to forward-thinking research.

If you would like to submit your own success story about how the libraries have helped your research and/or work, please use the Cycle of Success form.

home Resources and Services Protect Yourself and Your Research from Predatory Journal Publishers

Protect Yourself and Your Research from Predatory Journal Publishers

Predatory publishing doesn’t just take advantage of authors by misrepresenting review, editorial, and fee structures. It also hinders access to the work itself, hurting the overall enterprise of research. The epidemic of predatory journals reached serious enough heights in 2016 that the Federal Trade Commission charged OMICS, one such publisher of hundreds of predatory journals, for its deceptive practices.

“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” says Janice Dysart, Science Librarian and creator of the Where to Publish Your Research guide. “Be wary of these email solicitations from publishers trying to get you to submit articles to their journals.” She recommends using the Think Check Submit checklist to determine whether a publisher is legitimate.

Anyone can fall victim to predatory journal publishers. Jung Ha-Brookshire, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of Human Environmental Sciences, and Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Textile and Apparel Management, relates her experience after a graduate student recommended a journal a few years ago. She says, “I didn’t think twice about it. We submitted our paper and got accepted without any revisions. Then they were asking us to send money somewhere in Pakistan.” She still didn’t realize what was happening because she hadn’t even heard of “predatory journals.”

That all changed about a year later when she learned of a list of predatory journals from her colleagues. “We found out that our journal was on that list,” she says. They tried to withdraw their work from the publication but couldn’t. Because the journal wasn’t legitimate, the article could only be found via the specific URL and not by searching, so they pulled the publication information from their CVs. Jung says, “We had to take that manuscript as a loss because we couldn’t even take that paper to other publishers since, technically, it is already published.”

After that experience, Jung now checks with her subject librarian, Noël Kopriva, every time she encounters a journal she hasn’t heard of, “no matter how good the website looks.” Jung advises, “Be careful with choosing the right journals. Do not get fooled by address, location, a beautiful website, and a wonderful set of editorial board names. Check with your librarian first when in doubt!”

For more information on how to spot predatory journal publishers, see our Where to Publish Your Research guide or contact your subject librarian.
home Databases & Electronic Resources, Government Information University Libraries Provide Access to Online Data Fair

University Libraries Provide Access to Online Data Fair

The University of Missouri Libraries are not just places to find books and journals – we also make available data that is ready for quantitative analysis.  Through the University Libraries, all of our faculty, staff and students have member-level access to two data archives: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. The ICPSR offers training and webinars as well, and we are pleased to announce their 2018 Data Fair is approaching. Here’s more from their news release:

ICPSR’s 2018 Data Fair focuses on the most important variable: you.  Data is in the news at a dizzying rate, reminding us that our choices in collecting and sharing data are of great consequence. Join us for the Data Fair, a series of webinars taking place October 1-5, to learn from thought leaders who will delve into important topics like:

  • data transparency
  • data activism
  • data in the community
  • what to do with data
  • and more

Watch this one minute video for more information, and review the full list of webinar sessions

Since 2010, the ICPSR Data Fair has provided thousands of participants with world-renowned data training and resources. All for free, all virtual, and all open to the public. We invite you to join us for the 2018 Data Fair by registering for sessions here.

home Events and Exhibits, Staff news The New Jim Crow: One Read Program Events

The New Jim Crow: One Read Program Events

The following events and exhibitions have been scheduled to facilitate conversation regarding this year’s One Read Program selection: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. In this incisive critique, former litigator-turned-legal-scholar Michelle Alexander provocatively argues that we have not ended racial caste in America: we have simply redesigned it. The New Jim Crow challenges the civil rights community–and all of us–to place mass incarceration at the forefront of a new movement for racial justice in America.

A Brief Moment in the Sun Art Contest
Submissions beginning September 1st- October 18th
We want to feature your work based on The New Jim Crow. Submit a poem, mixed media, a sculpture, a painting, a photo; whichever medium speaks to you. Please contact Michelle Baggett for more information.

2018 One Read Keynote Speaker: Dr. Demetria Frank
October 19th, 12:30-2:30pm
Dr. Demetria Frank, Assistant Professor of Law at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, will be discussing mass incarceration and The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness By Michelle Alexander, this year’s One Read selection.

July-October: The New Jim Crow – One Read Program Exhibit
An exhibit in the Ellis Library Colonnade features a timeline showing the increasing numbers of incarcerated Missourians over the past four decades. Key moments in law, the privatization of prisons, and stories of anonymous Mizzou Tigers impacted by incarceration are highlighted.
Ellis Library Exhibit Case

 

The One Read Program, which promotes conversations regarding diversity, inclusion, and social justice through students, faculty, and staff reading a particular book together, is sponsored by Mizzou Law and Univerisity Libraries.

For more information on the book, events, additional resources, and information on the One Read Program, see this guide. Copies of the book are available for checkout in Ellis Library, the Health Sciences Library, the Journalism Library, and the Law Library.

home Cycle of Success, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Welcome to Christina Pryor, Coordinator for NNLM

Welcome to Christina Pryor, Coordinator for NNLM

The University of Missouri Libraries are pleased to announce that Christina Pryor has been hired as the new Missouri coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine in the Midcontinental Region. Christina has a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri and a Bachelor of Journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She is coming to us from the University of Washington Health Sciences Library in Seattle where she served as the assistant director and community health education coordinator. Her previous positions include consulting and education services manager for Amigos Library Services, reference manager for the St. Louis County Library System, and medical research librarian for Covidien/Mallinckrodt. Christina is currently serving as the conference chair for the Library Marketing and Communications Conference, which will be held in St. Louis this fall.

24/5 Hours

Ellis Library will be open from noon on Sunday until midnight on Friday and from 8 am until midnight on Saturday starting Tuesday, September 4.

  • Only students, faculty and staff with a valid ID will be allowed in the library from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Service hours, such as check-out and research, are not available during all hours the library is open.

For a complete list of all library hours, please visit library.missouri.edu/hours.

home Ellis Library, Resources and Services Writing Tutors in Ellis Library

Writing Tutors in Ellis Library

Tutors from the Writing Center will be offering one-on-one writing support in Ellis Library again this fall. All Mizzou students can take advantage of this service. Tutors can help with all stages of the writing process: brainstorming, revising and polishing a final draft. They are familiar with a variety of writing styles and formats.

Writing Tutors’ Schedule
Ellis Library, Room 151-E
Fall 2018

Saturday, August 26 through Finals Week
(no tutors during Thanksgiving Week)

Sunday 4 – 9 pm

Monday to Thursday 11 am – 9 pm

Sign up for appointments on the sign-up sheet which will be posted on the door to Room 151-E at the start of tutoring hours that day. Appointments are for fifty minutes.

Visit the Writing Center’s website to find out more about the writing assistance they offer.

home Ellis Library, Events and Exhibits 13th Documentary Screening: One Read Event

13th Documentary Screening: One Read Event

Join us September 6th at 5pm in Ellis Auditorium for a screening of 13th by filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

This 2016 documentary explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. After the screening, stay for a guided discussion.

Michelle Alexander is prominently featured in the documentary, discussing how mass incarceration has and hasn’t changed since her book was first published.

After the screening, please stay for a guided discussion.

 

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Taira Meadowcroft

Taira Meadowcroft is the Public Health and Community Engagement Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Missouri.

home Resources and Services Need an Article? Tweet #MizzouPDF

Need an Article? Tweet #MizzouPDF

Found an article online, but aren’t sure how to get the entire article? Did the website ask you to sign in or pay a fee? Want an easy way to request an article while searching on your phone? Need to ILL an article? Request your article via Twitter using #MizzouPDF.

In your tweet, be sure to use an identifier like a DOI, PMID, article title, or any information you have about the article. Including your MU pawprint will make the process faster, but we can private message you back if you don’t want to include your pawprint. With the information you’ve given us, we will send the article through your university email.

It’s simple to do! Here is a good example of how to tweet your article request:

This service is open to current MU faculty, students, and staff.

 

Remember, you can still request articles while in databases like PubMed, Scopus, EbscoHost, etc., by clicking on Findit@MU and selecting “Request a copy”.

 

TAGS:

Taira Meadowcroft

Taira Meadowcroft is the Public Health and Community Engagement Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Missouri.

home Cycle of Success, Ellis Library, Government Information Knowledge of Sailors’ Wages Enhances Tours of Only Above-Water Whaleback Ship Museum

Knowledge of Sailors’ Wages Enhances Tours of Only Above-Water Whaleback Ship Museum

This guest post is written by Martin Karpa, Volunteer with the Superior Public Museums in Superior, Wisconsin.

My first job after graduating high school was on a ship sailing the Great Lakes. I worked the freighters for four seasons, hauling iron ore, coal, grain, sand and limestone from Duluth, MN, to Buffalo, NY, and numerous ports in between.

It was just within the last two years that projects around the home were winding down, freeing up more time for interests. With a sailing history and fondness of said, I took an interest in the Superior Public Museums, Superior, WI, of which one of the museums is the last-in-the-world above-water whaleback steamship S.S. Meteor. Volunteer efforts with the museums started out with their annual Volunteer Work Weekend held every last weekend in April when people come from across the Upper Midwest to preserve and prepare the Meteor for guests who tour the ship and learn about its history, sailing in the 1890s, the conception of its unique design and the influence this design has had on the present day shipping industry.

The first work weekend on the Meteor only piqued my interests and I wound up volunteering to come every couple of weeks or so to help out with routine seasonal maintenance on the ship. One thing leads to another, and this role in maintenance has now expanded to also being a volunteer tour guide not only for the Meteor but also at another of the museums, Fairlawn Mansion.

My opinion: dedicated tour guides are not given enough credit. These individuals put themselves out there before the general public and are expected to be the resident authority of what they are teaching, able to field any question thrown at them. Guides will learn the tour script, of course, but many will go above and beyond, gleaning all the facts they can about their particular expertise in order to answer even the most unpredictable question as best they can.

Marie Concannon

One such question was, “What were the sailors’ wages at the time?” (referring to sailors in the 1890s). I didn’t know, said so, and spent some time with the individual after the tour trying to find an answer on the internet without satisfying success. This lead to a more extensive internet search later at home, also without much concrete success. Now, I am not an idiot, but doing such specific research is not in my educational background. All of the clicking around on the net somehow lead me to Marie Concannon‘s contact information as the University of Missouri Libraries’ Head of Government Information. With mounting frustrations over negative search results and no better idea as to where to go with this question, I fired off an email to Marie last August, knowing it was a crapshoot . . . a roll of the dice . . . and I hit the jackpot!

Marie responded promptly, and a very pleasant correspondence followed, impressing me with her passion and dedication to her work. It was obvious even across the internet that she is enthusiastic about researching an issue and my hat is off to her. Information provided by Marie has now been adopted and fit into my personal script when giving tours of the S.S. Meteor, giving those interested in this aspect of our nation’s industrial history a better understanding of daily life at the end of the Victorian Era, beginning of the Gilded Age and into the Progressive Era. Being able to offer more detailed information to guests of the museum also gives them a fuller experience, which in turn helps spread an even more positive review of their visit.

Cycle of Success is the idea that libraries, faculty, and students are linked; for one to truly succeed, we must all succeed. The path to success is formed by the connections between University of Missouri Libraries and faculty members, between faculty members and students, and between students and the libraries that serve them. More than just success, this is also a connection of mutual respect, support, and commitment to forward-thinking research.

Although the Cycle of Success typically focuses on the relationships among the Libraries, faculty, and students, the Libraries also contribute to the success of all the communities Mizzou serves. The Libraries are an integral part of Mizzou’s mission “to produce and disseminate knowledge that will improve the quality of life in the state, the nation and the world.”

If you would like to submit your own success story about how the libraries have helped your research and/or work, please use the Cycle of Success form.