Scholarly communication trends — voices from the vortex: a summary of specialist opinion

The views of specialists (academics, librarians, publishers and information scientists) on trends in scholarly communications were canvassed by means of structured questions. A greater commonality of views was found than might have been expected.     

Editorial zum Themenheft: ?‘Software-Reengineering“’

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

专题：科技信息的开发获取（一）[张晓林编委组织]

科技信息的开放获取已成为影响学术信息交流与科学发展的重大问题，深刻地影响到科技政策、科技支撑环境发展战略和科技信息服务模式。一大批科学家、科研机构和许多国家的科学管理与科研资助机构，都积极地推动科技信息的开放获取。他们或者制定开放获取政策、要求或鼓励科研人员提供科研成果的开放获取，或者支持开放出版期刊，或者建立机构开放存储库、支持本机构科研成果开放获取。通过这一系列的措施，科学界希望能够促进科研成果不受限制地广泛传播和自由获取、以及促进科研成果通过公共机制长期可靠保存和利用，以保障科技知识资产的国家保护和科研机构的知识资产管理。     

State of the art of expert searching: results of a Medical Library Association survey.

OBJECTIVES: Medical Library Association (MLA) members were surveyed to gather background about the current state of expert searching in institutions. The survey results were intended to guide the recommendations of the Task Force on Expert Searching for promoting the importance of expert searching and implementing those recommendations. METHODS: MLA members were surveyed, and data obtained from the survey were compiled and analyzed to answer three general questions: what is the perceived value of searching skills to the institution, how do health sciences librarians maintain and improve their searching skills, and how are searching services promoted and/or mandated in the institution. RESULTS: There were 256 responses to the survey. Over 95% of the respondents saw their expert-searching skills were of value to their institutions, primarily through performing mediated searches and search consultations. Over 83% of the respondents believed that their searching skills had improved over the past 10 years. Most indicated that continued training was very important in maintaining and improving their skills. Respondents promoted searching services most frequently through orientations, brochures, and the libraries' Web pages. No respondent's institution mandated expert searching. Less than 2% of respondents' institutions had best practice guidelines related to expert searching, and only about 8% had guidelines or policies that identified situations where expert searching was recommended. CONCLUSIONS: The survey supports the belief that health sciences librarians still play a valuable role in searching, particularly in answering questions about treatment options and in providing education. It also highlights the need for more expert searching courses. There has been minimal discussion about the perceived need for expert-searching guidelines in the institutions represented by survey respondents.