While most discoverability evaluation studies in the Library and Information Science field discuss the intersection of discovery layers and library systems, this book looks specifically at digital repositories, examining discoverability from the lenses of system structure, user searches, and external discovery avenues. Discoverability, the ease with which information can be found by a user, is the cornerstone of all successful digital information platforms. Yet, most digital repository practitioners and researchers lack a holistic and comprehensive understanding of how and where discoverability happens. This book brings together current understandings of user needs and behaviors and poses them alongside a deeper examination of digital repositories around the theme of discoverability. It examines discoverability in digital repositories from both user and system perspectives by exploring how users access content (including their search patterns and habits, need for digital content, effects of outreach, or integration with Wikipedia and other web-based tools) and how systems support or prevent discoverability through the structure or quality of metadata, system interfaces, exposure to search engines or lack thereof, and integration with library discovery tools. Discoverability in Digital Repositories will be particularly useful to digital repository managers, practitioners, and researchers, metadata librarians, systems librarians, and user studies, usability and user experience librarians. Additionally, and perhaps most prominently, this book is composed with the emerging practitioner in mind. Instructors and students in Library and Information Science and Information Management programs will benefit from this book that specifically addresses discoverability in digital repository systems and services.

To help individual libraries evaluate which service will best meet the needs of the library and its community, this report provides detailed evaluation questions and concludes with a section providing additional background information on each service.

Library standardization plays a vital role in effectively managing and optimizing library resources and services. It involves the establishment and adoption of common frameworks, guidelines, and practices within the library domain, aiming to ensure consistency, interoperability, and collaboration among libraries. By implementing uniform standards, libraries can enhance the process of resource discovery, facilitate seamless information exchange, and provide users with effortless access to information. Library standardization encompasses several key areas, including metadata standards, cataloging rules, classification systems, and technology interoperability. Metadata standards provide a consistent structure and format for describing library resources, enabling efficient resource discovery and sharing. Cataloging rules offer guidelines for uniform bibliographic description and organization, simplifying cataloging and retrieval of materials. Classification systems provide standardized schemes for organizing resources by subject, enhancing their discoverability. Additionally, ensuring interoperability among library systems and technologies is crucial for seamless integration and information exchange.

New digital technologies have transformed how scientific information is created, disseminated—and discovered. The emergence of new forms of scientific publishing based on open science and open access have caused a major shift in scientific communication and a restructuring of the flow of information. Specialized indexing services and search engines are trying to get into information seekers' minds to understand what users are actually looking for when typing all these keywords or drawing chemical structures. Using artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and semantic indexing, these "discovery agents" are trying to anticipate users' information needs. In this highly competitive environment, authors should not sit and rely only on publishers, search engines, and indexing services to make their works visible. They need to communicate about their research and reach out to a larger audience. Driving Science Information Discovery in the Digital Age looks through the "eyes" of the main "players" in this "game" and examines the discovery of scientific information from three different, but intertwined, perspectives: - Discovering, managing, and using information (Information seeker perspective) - Publishing, disseminating, and making information discoverable (Publisher perspective) - Creating, spreading, and promoting information (Author perspective). - Presents an overview of the current scientific publishing landscape - Shows how users can search for scientific information more efficiently - Critically analyses the metrics used to measure the quality of journals and the impact of research - Looks at the discovery of scientific information from the perspectives of information seekers, publishers, and authors - Delves into the practices used by specialized indexing services and search engines to process scientific information and make it discoverable - Recommends strategies that authors could use to promote their research

The social sciences have made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the economic, political and social life of nations in the past century. Social science libraries now have an important role to play in the context of the information society as significant sources of academic and social knowledge. This work provides information on the development and use of digital resources in the social sciences emphasizing best practices; an articulation of some of the problems presented to providing these resources; and a view to the use of these resources to support sustainable development.

Research institutions are under pressure to make their outputs more accessible in order to meet funding requirements and policy guidelines. Libraries have traditionally played an important role by exposing research output through a predominantly institution-based digital repository, with an emphasis on storing published works. New publishing paradigms are emerging that include research data, huge volumes of which are being generated globally. Repositories are the natural home for managing, storing and describing institutional research content. New Content in Digital Repositories explores the diversity of content types being stored in digital repositories with a focus on research data, creative works, and the interesting challenges they pose. Chapters in this title cover: new content types in repositories; developing and training repository teams; metadata schemas and standards for diverse resources; persistent identifiers for research data and authors; research data: the new gold; exposing and sharing repository content; selecting repository software; repository statistics and altmetrics. - Explores the role of repositories in the research lifecycle, and the emerging context for increasing non-text based content - Focuses on the management of research data in repositories and related issues such as metadata and persistent identifiers - Discusses skills and knowledge needed by repository staff to manage content diversity

A landmark textbook on digital libraries for LIS students, educators and practising information professionals throughout the world. Exploring Digital Libraries is a highly readable, thought-provoking authorative and in-depth treatment of the digital library arena that provides an up-to-date overview of the progress, nature and future impact of digital libraries, from their collections and technology-centred foundations over two decades ago to their emergent, community-centred engagement with the social web. This essential textbook: • Brings students and working librarians up to date on the progress, nature and impact of digital libraries, bridging the gap since the publication of the best-known digital library texts • Frames digital library research and practice in the context of the social web and makes the case for moving beyond collections to a new emphasis on libraries’ value to their communities • Introduces several new frameworks and novel syntheses that elucidate digital library themes, suggest strategic directions, and break new ground in the digital library literature. • Calls a good deal of attention to digital library research, but is written from the perspective of strategy and in-depth experience • Provides a global perspective and integrates material from many sources in one place - the chapters on open repositories and hybrid libraries draw together past, present and prospective work in a way that is unique in the literature. Readership: Exploring Digital Libraries suits the needs of a range of readers, from working librarians and library leaders to LIS students and educators, or anyone who wants a highly readable and thought-provoking overview of the field and its importance to the future of libraries.

Metadata in library information environments is evolving rapidly. This book provides readers with a set of tools for designing, developing, and implementing metadata-rich information systems while also examining the challenges and opportunities in this field. As the world of library and information science has developed in the age of digital information, metadata and metadata-rich information systems have become increasingly important—and more complex and confusing. This book will enable students, instructors, and practitioners in the information science field to understand how these new systems and standards will impact their careers and professions. Author Erik Mitchell explores definitions of information and presents an up-to-date consideration of user needs in information systems to provide necessary background before moving on to in-depth discussions of metadata, information organization practice, and information system design. Each chapter incorporates hands-on activities to complement the reading material, allowing readers to build technical skills alongside the important conceptual learning in this content area. Readers will gain conceptual understanding and skills that will allow them to analyze and transform structured data, develop metadata-rich information systems, and design systems with user needs and digital literacies in mind. This book is intended for library and information science students taking information organization, metadata, or other core "digital cataloging" classes, but will also be highly useful for professionals seeking to learn the details of metadata systems and theory using a hands-on approach.

In the dynamic and interactive academic learning environment, students are required to have qualified information literacy competencies while critically reviewing print and electronic information. However, many undergraduates encounter difficulties in searching peer-reviewed information resources. Scholarly Information Discovery in the Networked Academic Learning Environment is a practical guide for students determined to improve their academic performance and career development in the digital age. Also written with academic instructors and librarians in mind who need to show their students how to access and search academic information resources and services, the book serves as a reference to promote information literacy instructions. This title consists of four parts, with chapters on the search for online and printed information via current academic information resources and services: part one examines understanding information and information literacy; part two looks at academic information delivery in the networked world; part three covers searching for information in the academic learning environment; and part four discusses searching and utilizing needed information in the future in order to be more successful beyond the academic world. Provides a reference guide for motivated students who want to improve their academic performance and career development in the digital age Lays out a roadmap for searching peer-reviewed scholarly information in dynamic and interactive cademic learning environments Explains how to access and utilize academic information ethically, legally, and safely in public-accessed computing environments Provides brainstorming and discussion, case studies, mini-tests, and real-world examples for instructors and students to promote skills in critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving

The time is right for this all-new survey of the library technology that’s already transitioning from trend to everyday reality. As in the previous best-selling volume, Varnum and his contributors throw the spotlight on the systems, software, and approaches most crucial to the knowledge institutions of tomorrow. Inside, readers will find concise information and analysis on topics such as mobile technologies; privacy-protection technology tools; the Internet of Things (IoT); virtual reality; bots and automation; machine learning applications for libraries; libraries as digital humanities enablers; visualizations in discovery systems; linked open data; embeddedness and Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI); special collections and digital publishing; link rot, web archiving, and the future of the Distributed Web; and digital repositories. Sure to spark discussions about library innovation, this collection is a must have for staff interested in technology or involved with strategic planning.