(7 Nov 2020) News from Japan: The Agency for Cultural Affairs is considering Copyright Law revisions to allow libraries to send digital versions of books directly to readers’ computers or smartphones, triggering fears among publishing houses of copyright infringement and a flood of pirated works. One proposal is to weaken the control copyright…
(14 Nov 2020) More than 2,500 UK university staff have called for an investigation into the “scandal” of excessive pricing of academic e-books. “Price rises are common, sudden and appear arbitrary” with some digital books increasing by 200%, they say in a letter to Education Committee MPs. Organiser Johanna Anderson said some e-texts can…
(13 Nov 2020) “Fun Facts on Numbers” is a new column at ACCESS@librarylearningspace, which is published along with our bi-weekly newsletter. A question is raised, and the answer is presented in numbers. Questions are selected from frequently asked questions by librarians and researchers regarding scientific communication. This week the question is “How many research…
(10 Nov 2020) This open-access article has recently been published in The Journal of Academic Librarianship, by Franciszek Krawczyk and Emanuel Kulczycki. Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate how predatory journals are characterized by authors who write about such journals. We emphasize the ways in which predatory journals have been conflated…
(20 Oct 2020) For a book lover, stepping into a bookstore is always exciting, but a new bookstore in China makes the experience absolutely spellbinding. Dujiangyan Zhongshuge, located in Chengdu, was designed by Shanghai-based architecture firm X+Living, which has created several locations for Zhongshuge. The two-story space appears cathedral-like, thanks to the mirrored ceilings and…
(11 Nov 2020) Rachel Esson has been appointed as New Zealand’s National Librarian Te Pouhuaki. Rachel takes up the role from within the National Library, where she currently serves as Director for Content Services. Te Tari Taiwhenua| Internal Affairs Deputy Chief Executive Information and Knowledge Services Peter Murray says this appointment panel was looking…
(12 Nov 2020) Overseas Vietnamese scientist Vo Ta Han has given 9,338 books, worth over VND26 billion (US$1.15 million), to universities in Vietnam. Scientist Han yesterday donated 942 books worth nearly VND3 billion ( or $130,397) to the library of the Ho Chi Minh City-based Van Hien University through the city Committee for Overseas…
(2 Nov 2020) News from Australia: One of the country’s major cultural institutions has admitted it failed to properly pay holiday and weekend penalty rates to more than 100 casual staff for two decades to the tune of $245,000. The National Library of Australia has agreed to pay back all the affected workers…
(5 Nov 2020) A rare 17th-century French book on Confucius, which was given as a national gift to President Xi Jinping by French President Emmanuel Macron last year, was officially handed over to the National Library of China in Beijing on Wednesday. Confucius ou la Science des Princes (Confucius, or the Science of the Princes),…
By Ruth A. Pagell* (10 Nov 2020) Ruth’s Rankings regularly revisits journal metrics, covering legitimate and illegitimate sources and metrics. This will be a two-part article. Part one focuses on Journal Citation Reports™ Journal Impact Factor™ and other Clarivate Analytics products with journal metrics. JIF™ is a trademark of Clarivate Analytics and cannot be legally used by…