ETD Update from Peru (Spanish Language)

El movimiento de las tesis digitales en Perú se inicia en la Biblioteca Central “Pedro Zulen“, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) en el año 2002. En esta fecha se aprueba el proyecto de digitalización de las tesis y se pone en funcionamiento el primer portal web. En el año 2003 se firma un acuerdo de colaboración con la Universidad de Chile, Lyon y UNESCO para aplicar la metodología de Cybertesis, y a partir de Junio de 2004 se pone en funcionamiento el nuevo portal de las tesis peruanas, utilizando estándares internacionales para el intercambio de información. Hasta la actualidad se han desarrollado 08 talleres de capacitación sobre el uso de esta metodología, se han firmado 06 convenios con universidades, y 03 que están en proceso de firma. La tarea de la UNMSM se ha estado enfocado en la capacitación, optimización e implementación de nuevas aplicaciones informáticas sobre la metodología de Cybertesis. Recientemente se ha incorporado una sección de videos de los autores cuyo objetivo es diseminar este conocimiento mediante aplicaciones multimedia; así mismo, se ha puesto en funcionamiento el portal web al cual hemos denominado Red Peruana de Tesis Digitales (RPTD – http://www.rptd.edu.pe/) donde se encuentra los metadatos de las tesis digitales peruanas. RPTD se inicia a principios del mes de marzo de 2008, y tiene como objetivo principal brindar un acceso fácil y rápido a la información de las tesis producidas por estas instituciones. La implementación de RPTD se realizó mediante el software ARC (A Cross Archive Search Service), cuenta con servicios como RSS y estadísticas de visitas web por países, descargas, entre otros. El trabajo realizado es consecuencia de la aplicación de políticas orientados a tres aspectos: difusión, capacitación y alianzas estratégicas; en este último punto podemos destacar el trabajo realizado con la Comunidad Andina, específicamente con la Biblioteca Digital Andina (BDA), que nos ha permitido impulsar el movimiento de las tesis digitales en los países miembros de esta organización.

ETD 2008: Pack your exercise gear

Whilst at ETD 2008 you can exercise your body as well as your mind by visiting RGU:Sport. Conveniently situated on campus, and adjacent to the conference venue, the Sports Centre is a modern facility featuring a 25m swimming pool, three gyms, climbing wall and bouldering room, three exercise studios and a vast sports hall. (Non-members of RGU:Sport are welcome to use the fitness facilities if they either produce proof of membership of a gym or undergo a gym orientation.) All facilities are available to conference delegates at a discount price. Follow the link for more details:-
http://www.rgu.ac.uk/rgusport/facilities/page.cfm?pge=37458

Japan and ETDs

Wondering what's going on with ETDs in Japan? Sugita Izumi from the Japanese National Informatics Institute (NII) Institutional Repository Program, provided this update:

"A Japanese ETD Working Group was organized. Members of the Working Group are National Institute of Informatics (NII), National Diet Library (NDL), University libraries, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Their future agenda includes:

• Digitization of past doctoral dissertations.
• Registration of future doctoral dissertations to IRs.
• Development of the one stop portal system for ETD.
• Monitoring and responding to the revision of Japanese ministerial ordinance for dissemination of doctoral dissertations.

NII is now the establishment of a one stop portal system and is hoping to link it to NDLTD in the future. We wish to be able to report the situation of Japanese ETD at the ETD2009."

Please contact Izumi and the other members of the NII Library Liaison Team for more information on their ETD initiative.

Weather Watch on Aberdeen

Deciding what to pack? Here's one weather link for Aberdeen. Seems a bit cooler than my U.S. Connecticut weather, although our spring has been on the cool side. Bring sweaters, hats, and something that will keep the sprinkles out.

Chronicle Article on ETDs, Open Access & Creative Writing

As promised, The Chronicle of Higher Education has just published an article titled "Readers Not Wanted: Student Writers Fight to Keep Their Work Off the Web"... is available online.

For those of you who cannot access the link we have archived a copy via NDLTD.

I have also archived a local copy of the print edition (content is same as online but different picture).

I hope the student outcome survey data, comments and policy recommendation I have provided will help move this debate along in a more constructive fashion.

For those of you who are interested, I will be presenting a paper at the ETD 2008 Symposium in several weeks on this very topic; the full paper, WVU ETD policy recommendation and analyses will be available as open access in the NDLTD institutional repository.

Obtaining a Kilt in Aberdeen

There are a number of Kilt shops in Aberdeen: Philip King II at 256 George Street; Georgian Dress Hire at 64 Leadside Road; Alex Scott and Co. at 43 Schoolhill; and M^cCalls LTD at 15-17 Bridge Street. Perhaps there are even smaller neighborhood establishments that will have a selection of Kilts among the apparel section. I think we should check with our conference hosts to get the scoop on the best place for a real kilt deal.
Picture Source: Scotland-Map.com

ETD Journal Article

Here it is gang, hot off the press. Information World Review has just published an article on grey literature, ETDs and the Scirus connection. The article titled "Don't let the grey fade away" is now available online. Happy reading!

NDLTD Announces ETD Award Winners for 2008

ETD Awards sponsored by Adobe Systems

The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) consortium is pleased to announce this year's award winners. The awards recognize students who have written exemplary electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). These ETDs demonstrate new dimensions of scholarship being explored by individuals who have made significant contributions to the worldwide ETD movement.

The Awards Program includes several categories of appreciation. The Innovative ETD Award recognizes student efforts to transform the genre of the print dissertation through the use of innovative software to create cutting edge ETDs. Use of renderings, photos, video and other multimedia objects that are included in the electronic document were considered as part of the innovation of the work. The Innovative Learning through ETDs Award recognizes a student whose professional life has been enhanced by the ETD process. Finally, the ETD Leadership Award recognizes members of the university community whose leadership and vision has helped raise awareness of the benefits of ETDs, and whose efforts have improved graduate education through the use of ETDs. The awards will be presented at the ETD 2008 Symposium, to be held this year at The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, June 4th - 7th.

And the winners are...

Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums offer a varied programme of special exhibitions and displays, workshops, talks, concerts and other events. Further details can be found in the Events Calendar on the Aberdeen City Council website. The programme is also contained in a printed Diary, published every three months, which is available free from any of our venues, as well as selected places throughout Aberdeen and Grampian. Highlights of the collection include Hall Russell Shipyard Archive, Little But Good: The Great North of Scotland Railway, A Portrait Collection, and Aberdeen's History and Landmarks

Aberdeen in 1411- Saved by the Earl of Mar

From the The History of Scotland CHAPTER X. EARLY STEWART KINGS: ROBERT II. (1371-1390)

The Celtic North, never quiet, made its last united effort in 1411, when Donald, Lord of the Isles, who was in touch with the English Government, claimed the earldom of Ross, in right of his wife, as against the Earl of Buchan, a son of Albany; mustered all the wild clans of the west and the isles at Ardtornish Castle on the Sound of Mull; marched through Ross to Dingwall; defeated the great northern clan of Mackay, and was hurrying to sack Aberdeen when he was met by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, the gentry of the northern Lowlands, mounted knights, and the burgesses of the towns, some eighteen miles from Aberdeen, at Harlaw. There was a pitched battle with great slaughter, but the Celts had no cavalry, and the end was that Donald withdrew to his fastnesses. The event is commemorated by an old literary ballad, and in Elspeth's ballad in Scott's novel, ‘The Antiquary.' (Before you take me to task, yes, the image is the famous William Wallace(1272-1305), the rebel of Braveheart fame, who had nothing to do with the attempted sacking of Aberdeen, except stirring up discontent a few decades earlier)

Conference Dinner Site: Mercure Ardoe House Aberdeen

Following the programme for the afternoon of Thursday 5th June, conference attendees will retire to the Mercure Ardoe House Aberdeen. Inspired by the royal residence of Balmoral Castle, this 4 Star 19th Century mansion house is situated 3 miles outside the city centre of Aberdeen, in 30 acres of countryside. Ideal for shopping, theatres, scenic walks and Balmoral Castle visits.

Image Source : youngrobv's photo stream

The Grand Sport of Scottish Walking

According to Walk in Scotland, the official walking site of Scotland's National Tourism Organization, Scotland was "Created for Walking." Aberdeen is considered to be in the North East walking area, with famlands, mountains, and sea and lots in between:

"Visitors are often surprised to discover that north-east Scotland has a gentle landscape with plenty of easy walking. In Moray and Aberdeenshire the Cairngorm mountains drop to low, rolling hills, which soon give way to undulating farmland. Scenic river valleys dissect the arable and pasture fields, and a good road network links the many towns and villages. Numerous fishing harbours dot the long coastline, which has vast stretches of dune-backed beaches and cliffs punctuated by coves. "

Check out this very healthy 10.5 Kilometer walk entitled "River Don, Beach and Old Aberdeen"

ETD 2008 Paper/Poster Final Deadline: 19th May

If you have been concerned about conflicting versions of the "drop-dead" submission deadline for papers and posters, please consider the 19th of May the final deadline. As with previous ETD meetings, the conference respository for papers and posters will live well beyond ETD2008.

Pre-Conference Workshops on the 4th of June

09.30 - 12.30 Wednesday 4th June

Newcomers' Workshop:
ETDs for Rookies

Workshop Leader
John H. Hagen
(West Virginia University Libraries)

Distributed Digital Preservation Workshop:
ETDs Can Be as Secure as Their Paper Predecessors

Workshop Leaders
Prof. Gail McMillan
(Director of the Digital Library and Archives, University Libraries,
Virginia Tech)

Dr. Martin Halbert
(Director for Digital Programs and Systems, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University)

European Workshop:
Information will be available shortly

Keynote Speaker Herbert Van de Sompel

Dr Herbert Van de Sompel graduated in Mathematics and Computer Science at Ghent University, and in 2000, obtained a Ph.D. there. For many years, he was Head of Library Automation at Ghent. After having left Ghent in 2000, he has been Visiting Professor in Computer Science at Cornell University, and formerly Director of e-Strategy and Programmes at the British Library. Currently, he is the team leader of the Digital Library Research and Prototyping Team at the Research Library of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Team does research regarding various aspects of scholarly communication in the digital age, including information infrastructure, interoperability, digital preservation and indicators for the assessment of the quality of units of scholarly communication. Herbert has played a major role in creating the Open Archives Protocol for Metadata Harvesting, the OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive Services, the SFX linking server, and the info URI.

About Keynote Speaker Paul Ayris

Dr Paul Ayris has been director of University College London(UCL) Library Services since 1997, as well as coordinator of their Senior Management Team. He is also the UCL copyright officer. He is a member of the LIBER (Ligue Internationale des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche) and SPARC Europe boards. He chairs LIBER's access division, and the OAI organising committee for the Cern workshops on scholarly communication. He also chairs the UK's SHERPA management group. He is deputy chair of the JISC’s repositories and preservation advisory group. He is a member of the JISC's journals working group, of SCONUL's health strategy group and of the CURL/SCONUL joint scholarly communications group. He has a PhD in ecclesiastical history and publishes on English reformation studies.

ETD after Hours- Jazz Aberdeen

Jazz Aberdeen is a not for profit charitable organisation whose aim is to promote jazz in Aberdeen through regular live jazz performances involving both visiting international artists and local musicians and through the bi-annual Aberdeen International Jazz Festival. Since February 2003 Jazz Aberdeen has presented over 200 live jazz events in Aberdeen featuring local and international artists. These performances have attracted a total audience of over 20,000 and have greatly contributed to developing Aberdeen as a vibrant and culturally stimulating place to live and visit for its inhabitants and visitors alike. Some downloads of local musicians are available. The Blue Lamp Pub is a popular place for music. Also good for a cold brew after a hard day of conference activity. Here's their location.