Media Coverage

Interview of NISO executive director Todd Carpenter on data analysis and applications of alternative metrics in publishing by Jenn Webb.The digital transformation in publishing is bringing forth more than new reading platforms, gadgets and distribution options - it also brings a wealth of data publishers have never before had access to, data that can be applied to new marketing and production strategies, and used to help create more efficient business models.

As data becomes more and more central to publishing ecosystems, traditional methods of metric collection and analysis are proving insufficient. This need for new measurement techniques has given rise to a new metrics approach called "alternative metrics." I reached out to Todd Carpenter, Executive Director of NISO, to find out what's behind the changing data needs and more about how altmetric applications can benefit publishers. Carpenter will explore this topic further at TOC Frankfurt on October 9, 2012.

By Gregory Pronevitz and Valerie Horton
In July 2009, NISO formed a working group to develop a recommended practice on the physical delivery of library materials. Increased demand from library users for consortium and interlibrary loans has created corresponding costs for libraries to provide the services. Where libraries used outsourced courier services, their contractors were also impacted, often overwhelmed by the unplanned growth. Libraries also had difficulty in supplying the space and staff needed to process the materials. NISO's working group consisted of 11 members representing academic, public, and consortia libraries in the U.S. and Europe, and was co-chaired by Valerie Horton and Diana Sachs-Silveria. The diversity of libraries to be addressed by the recommended practice presented a challenge to the group but they established common principles to guide their work. A Physical Move section addressed issues related to labels, packaging, shipping containers, transportation, tracking, and reports. The growth in e-content raises the question of when and to what extent it will impact physical delivery needs. There is some speculation as to whether physical delivery has peaked. While libraries that instituted the capability for patron-placed holds continued to see some growth in delivery in recent years, the authors feel that the tipping point to declined physical delivery has begun, although the decline is forecast to be very slow.

In a move that could engender significant innovation for library self-service systems, 3M Library Systems will announce on Friday that it is donating its Standard Interchange Protocol (SIP) to the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), which will now have responsibility for future development and ongoing maintenance of SIP.

SIP is the de facto standard for communication between library self-service devices and the wide variety of integrated library systems (ILS) that libraries use. It provides the crucial common language that makes possible such widespread functions as self checkouts, automated materials handling systems, PC management systems, or fine and fee payment transactions.

"We're very pleased about the partnership with 3M, a long-term member of NISO," said Todd Carpenter, NISO's executive director, adding that the arrangement was a very important sign of the stability of the protocol.

It seems safe to assume that by the end of 2012, public libraries may be directing as much as 20% of their collection budgets to digital content. By the end of three years, it may be closer to 50%. That shift of resources, at a time when the budget pie itself is shrinking, will have one unsurprising result: The circulation of print will decline if we offer fewer print materials. That, in turn, will accelerate the shifting of resources.

There are many players in the rapidly changing publishing environment, and many issues for them to sort through. We can expect things will be chaotic and awkward for a while.

Meanwhile, it may be helpful to consider the thoughts and concerns of some of those players. Below, I talk to a reader, a writer, an independent bookseller, and an independent publisher. All of them are real people grappling with real concerns.

This article continues a series of interviews with the Advisory Board for Collaborative Librarian-ship. Todd Carpenter, the Managing Director of NISO, the National Information Standards Organization, is a leading player in promoting research through the creation of standard and best practices related to in-formation exchange and management. NISO provides the environment for bringing key organizations together to reach complex and often difficult agreements. As Carpenter says, "One of NISO's most im-portant principles is ensuring all the relevant players have an opportunity to sit at the table, in an open and fostering environment that is supported by participatory and well-established rules for engagement."

To support the rapid evolution of Web technology, W3C announced today an agile track for developers and businesses to create Web technology within W3C's international community of experts. Because innovation can come from organizations as well as individuals, W3C has designed W3C Community Groups to promote diverse participation: anyone may propose a group, and groups start quickly as soon as there is a small measure of peer support.

Michael Weinstein recommends Bill Kasdorf's article in Information Standards Quarterly (http://www.niso.org/publications/isq/2011/v23no2/kasdorf) on EPUB 3 and highlights some key points from the article about the new version of the specification.

SERU, a NISO Best Practice, is an easy way for libraries and publishers to streamline ordering electronic resources - without the time and labor required to negotiate a license. And SERU now has a new logo available for use! Publishers and libraries can use the logo to advertize their use of SERU.

by Liz Stevenson and Chad Hutchens
Describes the goals of the NISO/UKSG KBART working group to improve the knowledge bases used in OpenURL linking and how these improvements will benefit libraries and their patrons.

by Julie Zhu, Gary Pollack, Ruth Wells, and Matthew Llewellin.
While publishers fully understand the benefits of providing standardized, accurate, and timely metadata, they face practical challenges. What may not be obvious to librarians and educators are the vast sums of money and time that publishers must spend on systems with flexible metadata schemas, metadata schema views, metadata policies and processes, quality controls, collaborative metadata editing and authoring tools, and user-friendly interface components. Despite the challenges, many publishers understand the ultimate benefits of quality metadata and are willing to make the commitment to provide improved metadata to the library community.