Electronic Newsletter, January 2001: Issue 10

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Contents

Issues

1. Downloading from electronic journals: staying within the law
2. Using images in teaching: copyright issues
3. Record keeping under the Data Protection Act
4. JISC funding for HE/FE Regional Support Centre
5. Declaring independence: a guide to creating community-controlled science journals
6. Web accessibility and how to improve it

New products and services

7. New ZETOC table of contents/alert service from the Library
8. Faster responses to your calls: IS streamlines call-handling
9. Computing Service advisory service moves to the Library
10. Final student cluster moves from Computing Service
11. DVD arrives on campus
12. Audio CD production
13. Help with faculty and department events for 2001
14. New from MIS: the Student Updateable Records Facility
15. Order from Library Stack and Store straight from your PC
16. Statistical Accounts of Scotland on the Web
17. British Library Newspaper Library Catalogue now on the Web

1.  Downloading from electronic journals: staying within the law

This is to remind students and staff that copyright regulations apply to electronic material as they do to printed books and journals. Cases have recently been brought to our attention where whole volumes of electronic journals, in some cases covering several years, have been systematically downloaded in breach of copyright.

In general, as with print journals, no more than one article per issue can be downloaded, although there is no limit to the number of articles that can be viewed on screen. Systematic downloading and printing of whole issues and volumes is therefore not permitted.

In the last resort, publishers may withdraw the University's access to electronic versions of their journals, thus harming the interests of the great majority of responsible users and reducing access to information required for teaching and research. One publisher has already temporarily restricted access to its journals.

If you need further information or clarification on these issues, please contact Tony Kidd, Head of Serials (ext. 6778 or t.kidd@lib.gla.ac.uk)

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2.  Using images in teaching: copyright issues

A number of developments in the area of copyright are likely to have an impact on the use of third party materials within HE. One concerns the current European Directive on copyright which is nearing the end of the legislative process, and another is the dispute between the CVCP and the CLA, which licenses photocopying from books. Until both of these issues are resolved, nothing will change in terms of what is covered by the present agreement and what users still require permission to copy.

A Web site is under construction which will give information and guidelines on copyright and IPR matters to GU staff and students, but in the interim one particular area should be brought to users' attention. If you wish to make a copy of an illustration from a book or journal for use in teaching, you will more than likely have to gain permission from the rights holder, as the University does not hold a licence for such copying. You do not need permission if the work is out of copyright (70 years after the death of the artist/photographer/originator of the image and 25 years after first publication of that edition) or if the copying is for the purposes of private study, criticism or review. Otherwise, you will have to obtain permission (and possibly pay a fee) to use the material.

A reminder that Information Services has an image base of photographs which can be used freely for teaching and research, as the copyright belongs to the University. (http://www.imagebase.gla.ac.uk/)

The Library will also shortly subscribe to the American database AMICO (Art Museum Image Consortium (http://www.amico.net/home.html). Details from Richard Bapty (ext. 6746 or r.bapty@library.gla.ac.uk). Similarly, you may find the Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network (SCRAN) site useful for educational use of images connected with Scottish history (http://www.scran.ac.uk/), user names and passwords for which are available from Library Enquiries Services (ext. 6704/05 or library@lib.gla.ac.uk).

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3.  Record keeping and the Data Protection Act

Archives staff can provide advice on ensuring record keeping complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. The Act requires all organisations that hold personal information about living individuals (their employees, clients, business associates, etc.) to follow principles of good practice. These cover aspects of the management, storage and use of data and who should have access to it. Most importantly it requires us to ensure we destroy personal information in a timely and appropriate fashion once the original purpose of collection has been fulfilled. 

Further information is available on the University Website at http://www.gla.ac.uk/Compserv/DPA/dpa1998.htm, a clear and informative introduction to the Act and how it pertains to record keeping in the University. It also provides links to the policy statement issued by the University's Data Protection Officer http://www.gla.ac.uk/Otherdepts/Planning/Local/dpa98/hm.html and the Computing Service DPA Website, http://www.gla.ac.uk/Compserv/DPA/ 

The Data Protection Commissioner's Office Website is at http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/ 

Please contact Claire Johnson (Senior Records Manager) for further details on the requirements for record keeping (ext.0659 or at c.johnson@archives.gla.ac.uk).

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4.  JISC funding for HE/FE Regional Support Centre

The Computing Service with its Further Education partners, the Glasgow Telecolleges Network (GTN) and the West and South of Scotland Network (WeSSNET), has been successful in securing funding from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) for the establishment of a Regional Support Centre (RSC) to support the twenty two Colleges of Further Education in the South and West of Scotland in their use of JANET and JISC services generally. 

In the HE sector we have shaped the provision of JISC services over the years and have benefited from their availability in a number of ways. The decision of the Further Education Funding Councils in Scotland, England and Wales to join JISC has resulted in a JISC programme to bring FE up to speed on what is available, how to derive most benefit from the services and, equally importantly, to provide feedback to JISC on what services JISC should provide to meet specific needs in the FE sector. Our RSC complements the RSC for the North & East of Scotland with whom we are working closely under the auspices of the Scottish Funding Council.

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5.  Declaring independence: 
         a guide to creating community-controlled science journals

The following is an edited version of a message from Alison Buckholtz of SPARC, the Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition, a body which promotes alternative publishing methods for academic journals.

SPARC and the Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN) have launched, ‘Declaring independence: a guide to creating community-controlled science journals’, a how-to handbook and Web site that guides editors and editorial board members of scientific journals toward responsible journal publishing. To see the site or download a PDF version of the handbook, please go to http://www.arl.org/sparc/DI.

As you know, many editors and editorial board members of STM journals are unaware of the serials crisis; more to the point, they are unaware they may be part of a journal whose high cost and unsatisfactory policies contributes to the serials crisis. DECLARING INDEPENDENCE presents this issue in a straightforward way to researchers who may wonder what their responsibilities are and how best to change the status quo.

DECLARING INDEPENDENCE is divided into three sections: the first helps researchers determine whether or not their journal serves its community; the second presents alternative publishing options; the third guides researchers through an evaluation process of these alternative options. There are also extensive Web resources and journal pricing charts included in the appendices, along with a bibliography.

Our goal throughout was to back up librarians' excellent educational efforts on campus. DECLARING INDEPENDENCE is a complement to the work many of you have already undertaken vis-à-vis SPARC and the Create Change campaign.

The handbook will be mailed (via traditional post) to about 1400 editors and editorial board members of STM journals (based on the Create Change database of the 100 most expensive journals, located at http://www.createchange.org/resources/journal.html. We are also distributing it through scientific associations and at ALA. Each SPARC and ARL library will receive five copies; any institution can order up to 50 additional copies, free of charge, by sending an email to pubs@arl.org.

Thank you very much for your support. Please post this within your institution and/or to any relevant listservs, and feel free to email me any feedback or comments.

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6.  Web accessibility and how to improve it

What is Accessibility?

Tim Berners Lee, the W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web has this to say: "The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect." Another recent quote in a government e-newsletter on the Internet: "The key principle underlining accessibility is that websites should be easy for everyone to use...."

So true accessibility is providing open doors to the information that you publish on the Web, that makes sense so why do we need accessibility?

Unfortunately a significant number of Web users are having difficulty in accessing the information we publish on the Web. This can be due to technology but often it is a simple case of programming error and/or omission. Take the case of a blind user who requires a screen reader to 'read' aloud the contents of the screen, how does this technology read a picture? Obviously the graphical side of the Web is unavailable to a blind user but this doesn't mean that they should receive any less information. If a graphic has meaning then this can be provided in the form of alternative text; a text description of the graphic. Sometimes that is all it takes to turn a seemingly blank page into a useful experience.

There are many ways to make the Web more accessible, the above example is a simple but common one and many Web authors have made that mistake purely through ignorance. The use of alternative text for graphics has many benefits; those who use a text-browsers or who prefer to turn graphics off and also those wanting to surf on our WAP enabled phones. Those that use the Web this way may not be blind or disabled in a physical sense, their disability may be with technology, and waiting for large graphics files to download can be annoying and most often a waste of time, especially if they say nothing!

Resources

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has a project called the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and this has produced a number of guidelines, but they are quite heavy to read. To help you to understand the guidelines I will be posting an article in 'Accessibility News' every week or so. I have also gathered a number of resources which can be found at:

www.gla.ac.uk/media/accessibility

The RNIB have released a video entitled "Websites that work!" which shows how people with disabilities use the Internet and, more importantly, how to make Web pages more accessible to everyone regardless of disability. This approach is called 'Universal Design' or 'Design for all'. Copies of this video are available for viewing in the Library (contact Liz Hamilton ext 6761 or email: E.Hamilton@lib.gla.ac.uk) or for overnight loan from Media services (contact Ger Malcolm ext 5672 or email: g.malcolm@educ.gla.ac.uk).

If you would like to view your Web pages through access technology like 'PW Webspeak' or 'IBM Home Page Reader' (both screen readers) then please contact me to arrange an appointment. You can also get a good impression of how your Web page looks in a text-browser at the following URL:

http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html

Retro-fitting accessibility to existing websites can be a time-consuming task but to help you with this task a new program has been installed on the University network. BETSIE from the BBC strips out all images and unnecessary formatting and outputs text-only content. If you would like to know more about BETSIE then please go to:

www.gla.ac.uk/media/accessibility/betsie.htm

I can also provide Quick-Tip cards to help remind you what how to achieve accessibility, to receive a card please send me an email with your internal postal address.

The Accessibility News Website is at http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/accessibility/index.htm 

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7.  New ZETOC table of contents/alert service from the Library

ZETOC is a new service which will help researchers keep up with the most recent journal literature in their fields. The service is based on data from the British Library covering more than 20,000 current journals and 16,000 conference proceedings published each year and can be accessed using your ATHENS password.

With almost 15 million article and conference records, the database covers science, technology, medicine, engineering, social sciences, business, law, finance and the humanities. It covers the years from 1993 to date and is updated daily. Records provide bibliographic details of articles without abstracts.

Researchers who would like regular information from the table of contents of new journal issues can use the ZETOC ALERTS option, a current awareness service which emails you the table of contents of your chosen journals. These are sent on the day the new data are loaded to the database, which can be just 72 hours after publication. The service may be useful to former users of the BIDS/ISI Autojournals feature.

For busy researchers, both staff and postgraduates, the Library also offers a current awareness service for subject profiles on a range of databases and contents pages. This service will manage ZETOC contents requests on your behalf- see our current awareness services page at http://www.lib.gla.ac.uk/AboutLibrary/pcas.html

For further details on current awareness services, please contact your subject librarian.

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8.  Faster responses to your calls: IS streamlines call-handling

Computing Service has introduced HelpDesk software to record details of calls for assistance and pass them to the appropriate support units. The software is also currently being piloted in Management Information Services and may be introduced elsewhere in Information Services if the MIS rollout is successful.

The principal benefits of the software are its ability to record in one place all the information about a call, to pass the call for handling to one or more support personnel and to monitor call progress so that requests are not lost or ignored. Statistics can be generated showing patterns of demand and responsiveness. Common faults and common fixes can be identified and labelled to allow them to be re-found rapidly when a similar situation recurs.

Users of the advisory services in MIS and CS will not have noticed much change in the mechanics of their contact with support staff but behind the scenes they will have detected significantly more 'keyboard chatter'. In all cases where a call cannot be answered by return, either by e-mail, by phone or in person, the caller will be given a call id which he should use later to check the progress of a call or to correlate a response to a particular issue.

It is helpful to appreciate the mechanics of what happens when a call is logged. During personal or phone contact you are likely to be asked to provide specific information about your problem; if you submit by e-mail, you may well get a response requesting additional information necessary for the resolution of your call. Once a call is fully logged and classified, as, for example, hardware or software, in the case of a desktop computer problem, and if possible the particular element causing the difficulty is identified, you will be given either an immediate answer which you confirm as satisfactory or you will be given a call identifier number. The vast bulk of calls will be answered immediately. If this is not possible, your call will be assigned to the appropriate specialist support group who may well contact you for further information or to arrange a visit, if necessary.

It is not uncommon for the initial assignment to a support group to be redirected elsewhere. This can happen because the initial classification/diagnosis proves incorrect. A very common re-assignment occurs when hardware is confirmed to be faulty and the work is passed to outside agencies.

All calls are assigned a unique identifier, a call id, which should be quoted in any subsequent queries about the progress of a call. The discipline of using the HelpDesk is not just for support analysts and advisory staff. Users of IS advisory and support services also need to be aware that the process is intended to funnel calls through a central point so that consistent logging and analysis can take place. To this end, callers are urged to use the standard contact numbers detailed below and not to try to short circuit the process by going direct to old friends and acquaintances; you may well be rebuffed and it would be a pity to spoil a long term friendship!

Contact points for advice and help are:-

CS     advisory@compserv.gla.ac.uk  Ext: 4831

MIS   mishelp@mis.gla.ac.uk  Ext: 3819

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9.  Computing Service Advisory Service moves to the Library

During the Christmas break, the staff who operate the Computing Service Advisory Desk moved from the James Watt North Building to room 345 on level 3 of the Library. The aim of the relocation is to take Advisory staff closer to their client community - the staff and students of the University.

With the transfer of the open access computers to the Library and Library Reading Room in recent years, most of the work of Advisory was conducted by telephone and by e-mail, though some regular customers made a special trip to the James Watt North building for a little helpful consultation in person.

The transfer of the Help Desk to the site which houses the majority of open access machines provided by Information Services will provide staff and students with a more cohesive one-stop support facility.

A fuller article covering the introduction of a HelpDesk logging and tracking system in Information Services is published elsewhere in IS News and will also be reproduced in the GU Newsletter.

Both telephone number (ext.4831) and electronic mail address (adviser@compserv.gla.ac.uk) remain the same, as do the opening hours of 09:00 until 17:00 (Monday to Friday).

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10. Final student cluster moves from Computing Service

During the Christmas Vacation the machines comprising the Postgraduate Student Computer Cluster on level 3 of the James Watt North Building moved to the 'inner circle' of the Library Reading Room. The re-location allows support of all student computing provided by Information Services to be focused in areas set aside for study rather than specifically for technology.

The increased opening hours now provided to the 17 PC systems re-located is a major benefit, as it extends evening and weekend access. The more central location should also make it easier for staff and students to find machines and integrate work at PCs with other study and information gathering activities. Computing Service Reception will continue to sell a range of products, though the Library will also be able to provide media and print credits direct.

All systems in the reading Room cluster are open to all staff and students.

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11. DVD arrives on campus

TV Production in Media Services is now able to output its programmes on DVD, a facility already taken up by Aerospace Engineering in the distribution of its new promotional video. Frequent customers of our TV production services will also soon be able to have a selection of programmes with a front page menu, split into subsections if required. The quality is excellent, and the system allows easy navigability and flexibility of access. 

If you would like a demonstration of DVD or wish to discuss its potential application in teaching or PR, please contact ext. 4908 (Barbara Farmer, Tim Farmer or Colin Brierley).

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12. Audio CD production

Media Services now offers audio CD production as a service and has a growing track record of successful projects, including a traditional music CD for 2001, a Christmas CD of the University Choir for Giles Brightwell, the new organist, and a Ballads project in collaboration with Scottish History. The 2001 CD is available in the Visitor’s Centre, high street outlets or direct from Media Services, and has been featured in several magazine articles and radio programmes. 

For more information contact Steve Lawrence, ext 6323 or sl2n@udcf.gla.ac.uk 

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13. Help with faculty and department events for 2001

University Archives has a wealth of historical information and images relating to previous commemorations as well as the original foundation and are closely involved in preparations for the forthcoming celebrations. Archives staff will be very glad to help departments or individuals with their own preparations for 2001, such as reunions, exhibitions or lectures. 

Please contact the Duty Archivist at ext. 5515 or at dutyarch@archives.gla.ac.uk.

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14. New from MIS: the Student Updateable Records Facility

SURF (Student Updateable Records Facility) is a new student Web facility that allows students to view and change their personal details held within the Central Student Records System. SURF is a component of the larger Student Records Improvement Project. The SURF user group, comprising representatives from the student body, faculties, Central Administration and Information Services, defined the requirements which were then approved by the SRIP Project Board. The application was developed by MIS and was implemented at the beginning of October 2000 with considerable help from Computing Service and the cluster managers. Students logging into SURF can update their address and next-of-kin details and view their previous educational history, academic record, previous and current courses and examination results. 

In October 2000, students logged into SURF 3828 times and made 1043 updates to their details. The response of the student body to SURF has been extremely positive and we hope to expand the range of student services available via SURF.

Anna Phelan
MIS
Ext: 5374
Email: aphelan@mis.gla.ac.uk 

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15. Order from Library stack and store straight from your PC

You can now order material from Library stack and store via the catalogue. Simply click on the "Location" in the catalogue entry for the item you wish to request, and a stack/store request form will appear automatically on screen. When you complete and return the form, it goes direct to Collection Services who will process your request.

If you need to consult a range of years from a journal, we can provide up to ten years at a time. Longer runs are problematic, because of limited space in which to store them before collection, but we will be glad to consider such requests if the need arises.

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16. Statistical Accounts of Scotland on the Web

The first two Statistical Accounts of Scotland (1791-1799 and 1845) are now available on the Web at http://edina.ed.ac.uk/statacc/. The service, hosted by EDINA (Edinburgh Data and Information Access), is still at prototype stage, with the full service due to be launched on 25 January. The service has been developed jointly by the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and is a major new resource for research and teaching in Scottish history and for individuals who wish to know more about the history of their locality.

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17. British Library Newspaper Library Catalogue now on the Web

The British Library Newspaper Library's catalogue of over 50,000 newspaper and periodical titles held at Colindale was launched on the Web on 15 December and is now available at www.bl.uk/collections/newspaper/newscat.html.

The catalogue includes all UK national daily and Sunday newspapers from 1801 to the present; most UK and Irish provincial newspapers, some from the early 18th century onwards; selected newspapers from around the world in western and Slavonic languages dating from the 17th century onwards, including extensive holdings from Commonwealth countries and many other nations; and a wide range of UK and Irish popular periodicals covering all subjects from fashion, pop music, and cinema, to sports, hobbies, and trades.

Further information about the range of services and collections at the Newspaper Library can be found at: www.bl.uk/collections/newspaper/ 

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