What's going on with the Purdue University Research Repository (PURR)

BY SCOTT BRANDT

PILLAR: Scholarly Communication

As a service, PURR is up and running and helps researchers who want to learn more about data management. There are pages describing how to create a data management plan, links to contact librarians in subject areas for assistance in specific disciplines and the Ask-a-Librarian chat widget to ask “data reference” questions. Librarians can consult with researchers as they put together a grant proposal, and after funding is awarded. PURR is based on HUBzero®, and the platform enables researchers to open accounts, create projects, collaborate with other researchers and publish datasets with Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) from DataCite. Progress up to this point has been accomplished by a working group of dedicated people volunteering from the Libraries, ITaP, and the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) as a collaborative initiative.

A new phase is starting, where University funding has been provided for the Libraries to hire software developers and a digital repository specialist to further develop the service over the course of the next year and a half. Led by assistant professor Michael Witt, this group, along with consultation from within the Libraries on metadata and preservation, will work to help standardize PURR to make it a certified trustworthy digital repository (International Organization for Standardization 16363). This includes the development of policies for data collection management; descriptive, technical, and administrative metadata; and an Open Archival Information System (OAIS) digital preservation archive, all of which will be integrated into PURR. The project will continue to be a close collaboration with ITaP and OVPR.

PURR is being designed to support the full data curation lifecycle, but in many ways it will work in a similar manner as Purdue e-Pubs: librarians will help build and vet data collections and present published datasets in a way that can be understood, reused and cited. This fits with the Libraries’ Strategic Plan goal that says we will: “…facilitate and enhance the continuum of scholarly communication from discovery to delivery…”

PILLAR: Learning

"The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope" by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer is the 2012-13 Common Reading Program book. It is a story about a boy from Malawi who learned how to make windmills to generate electricity and provide running water for his village by reading books in the library because he couldn’t afford to go to school. The librarian invited journalists to see his invention and Kamkwamba became a TED Global Fellow. He is now an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College.

To read this inspiring story and watch Kamkwamba’s TED talk click here or to watch a longer video about him click here.

Libraries celebrates Black History Month by recognizing one of its own: Emily R. Mobley

Pillar: Scholarly Communication

In 1989 Emily R. Mobley became the first African-American woman to serve as Dean of Libraries at a research university at a non-historically Black college and she was the first Purdue library system director with the rank of dean. She retired from Purdue on Jan, 9, 2004 as Dean of Libraries and the Esther Ellis Norton Distinguished Professor in Library Science.

After Mobley became the dean she set about making Libraries a more user-friendly place and raising the resources to make that happen. She saw her role as an agent of change and an advocate for faculty and students who needed top quality research materials — moving Libraries towards the Information Age. “It’s going to require more than money; it is seriously going to require a change in thinking about the role of the library,” said Mobley in a 1989 interview for "Alumnus" magazine.

Some of her goals and accomplishments during her tenure included:

• Improving Libraries visibility and academic role within the University
• Improving access to scholarly materials at Purdue and other academic libraries
• Improving the quality and quantity of campus collections
• Developing a document delivery system on campus
• Introducing THOR (The On-Line Resource)
• Establishing the Digital Learning Collaboratory, a place for students to develop multimedia projects for classroom assignments with support from ITaP

PILLAR: Infrastructure

It is time to encourage your hourly student staff members to apply for the Purdue University Libraries' Student Awards, the Dorothy Newby McCaw Scholarship and the Dr. Albert Viton Scholarship. JoAnne Carow sent a liball message last week with the information for the online application process. A flyer was included for you to print and post in your area. Please share the information and encourage your students to apply for the appropriate award and/or scholarship.

This year there are six awards/scholarships available. The application deadline is Mar. 20.

The PULSE Award
This award was created by the Purdue Libraries Circulation/Reserve Team in 2004. Initial funding was initiated through garage sales, a craft/bake sale and individual donations. In the first year, $1,445.80 was raised from 40 donors. Contributions continued to be added throughout the year with the goal of reaching the $20,000 amount necessary to endow the award. In 2004, Libraries Dean, Jim Mullins, led a fundraising challenge and agreed to match pledges from the Dean’s Fund dollar for dollar. In 2005, endowment efforts were achieved with the efforts and contributions of Purdue graduates Mike and Judy Humnicky of California, who both spent their time at Purdue (1966-70) employed by the Libraries. The first two awards were presented in May 2004. This year two $1000 awards are available.

The Marie Jepson Scian Memorial PULSE Award
In 2010, Lucy Scian-Allen, retired Libraries employee, committed to fund a total of six individual student awards over the next three years in memory of her foster mother, Marie Jepson Scian. Allen worked in the Hicks Undergraduate Library for 15 years as the night coordinator and student supervisor. She loved her job and most of all working with the student staff. As a thank you to the many students she worked with and to honor her foster mother’s 44-year dedication to teaching, she established the Marie Jepson Scian PULSE Award. There are two awards of $1000 available this year.

The Dorothy Newby McCaw Scholarship
In 2004, Dorothy Newby McCaw found a meaningful way to honor her friend: she endowed the Dorothy Newby McCaw Scholarship for Libraries Student Workers in honor of Emily R. Mobley, former Libraries Dean. McCaw established the scholarship in honor of Dean Mobley’s retirement as a way to recognize her many accomplishments during the 12 years of her deanship. The scholarship fulfilled one of Mobley’s goals as Dean — to recognize top student workers in the Libraries. The first scholarship was awarded in 2007. This year, a $2500 scholarship is available.

The Dr. Albert Viton Scholarship
In 2006, Dr. Albert Viton, author and retired economist, endowed a scholarship to be awarded annually to a student employee from the Purdue University Press or the Libraries. His desire is that this scholarship will make a significant impact on students’ lives and education while at Purdue Viton became associated with the Press with the publication of his book, "The International Sugar Agreements: Promise and Reality," in 2004. The first scholarship was awarded in 2007. This year, a $2500 scholarship is available.

Important Information

• All student staff members should receive e-mail notification of this opportunity but please make sure that they are aware of these awards and scholarships and of the Mar. 20 deadline.
• Supervisors be aware of your part of the application process and the deadline. Students will not be considered without your portion of the application process.

Selection committee members include: Amanda Gill, chair; Linda Foster, co-chair; Marianne Bracke, Becki Corbin, Kate Kester, Marilyn Rogers and Donna Slone. If you have questions please contact Amanda Gill at gill3@purdue.edu .

PILLAR: Infrastructure

Have you worked on an interesting project lately? Has your library or unit implemented a new and innovative service or practice? Share your experience with the rest of your colleagues at the Libraries' 5th Annual One Book Higher poster session!

When: Apr. 12, 10-11:30 a.m. (set up at 9:30 a.m.)
Where: PMU North Ballroom
Who: All Libraries employees

To present a poster, email the following information to Angie Ewing before April 4:

1. Title of poster
2. Presenter(s)
3. Estimated cost if supplies are needed
4. If you will need electricity; an electrical outlet.
5. If you will need a table or display stand

Supplies for posters will be ordered through your area designated supply coordinator, indicating they are for One Book Higher. Deadline for ordering supplies is April 4.

Be sure to vote for the best poster in these categories:

• Most interactive
• Made me LOL (laugh out loud)
• Most creative
• Most innovative idea
• Most scholarly
• Best furthers Libraries strategic plan
• Viewer's Choice

Voting will end promptly at 11:30 a.m. The dean will present the poster award winners with certificates during lunch.

If you have any questions contact one of the One Book Higher committee members: Sharon Sturgeon, Angie Ewing, Lil Conarroe, Connie Farris or Alan Bol.

Libraries new staff

PILLAR: Infrastructure

Kim Weldy
Development Coordinator

On Jan. 17, I became Development Coordinator in the Office of Advancement. I am assisting Sandy Howarth, director of Advancement, and working with the Advancement Team: Kate Kester, Elaine Bahler and Teresa Brown.

I graduated from Indiana Vocational Technical College in 1978 with a degree in Business. After graduating, I began working in the Tippecanoe County Courts as a court reporter and was with the courts until 2001. I began working at Purdue in March 2005 as a temporary in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and soon thereafter moved to the Department of Anthropology where I worked as a part-time secretary for one year. In 2006, I became the Schedule Deputy for the Department of Biological Sciences and held that position for five years before moving to the Office of the President in Jan. 2011, as an Administrative Assistant.

I grew up and live in Rossville, Indiana, a small community just east of Lafayette. My husband teaches Social Studies at Rossville Middle/High School and we have two children. Our son will graduate from Butler University this spring with a degree in Music Education and our daughter is a freshman at Purdue majoring in English. We love animals and have a dog and three cats as a part of our family. Besides spending time with my family and friends, I enjoy antiquing, decorating, gardening, cooking and college basketball.

I am so happy to be a part of Purdue Libraries and feel very fortunate to be here. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming. I look forward to getting to know and working with everyone.

My office is located in STEW, Room 264. My phone number is 49-40975 and my email weldy@purdue.edu.

In Memoriam

Janice E. Voss

On Friday, Feb. 24 Purdue will honor astronaut and Purdue alumna Janice E. Voss, who died Feb. 6 in Arizona of complications from cancer.

One of Purdue's 23 astronauts, Voss had logged five space flights, spending a total of 49 days in space and traveling 18.8 million miles in 779 Earth orbits. From 2004 to 2007, she served as the science director for the Kepler spacecraft at NASA's Ames Research Center. Voss most recently served as the payloads lead of the Astronaut Office's Station Branch.

She earned her bachelor's degree in engineering sciences in 1975 from Purdue and her doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1987. Her memorabilia was donated to Purdue Library's Barron Hilton Flight and Space Exploration Archives in 2010.

The Voss Family will greet friends and colleagues and celebrate her life from 3-4 p.m. in the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering's Kurz Atrium. The reception is open to the public, but RSVPs are appreciated and can be emailed to events@purdue.edu.

Elizabeth (Betty) Jones

Betty passed away on Feb. 10. She retired at the age of 84 from Purdue Libraries in 2002 after 30 years of working in the Humanities, Social Science and Education Library. She provided quality reference service to countless Purdue students and faculty, as well as her energy and positive outlook. Jones was very active in her community and enjoyed playing bridge, gardening, knitting.

“ It was a pleasure to not only work with Betty, but to converse with her. Her quiet sense of just being there, as part of the HSSE community was refreshing and always a staple of our daily life, while providing services. But most importantly, she was a very important part of our library, as a person who made one smile and know that her constancy made for a good day," said HSSE Librarian Jean-Pierre Herubel.