Three-Day International Gathering in Abu Dhabi Provides New Insights, Tools and Techniques for Application in Libraries
Abu Dhabi-UAE: 13 December, 2012
Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced it hosted a workshop to highlight the role of electronic resources and licensing at libraries in the digital age.
Titled 'Contemporary Topics in Licensing & Consortia', the three-day event was organized from 8-10 December by the Special Libraries Association (SLA) - Arabian Gulf Chapter and Masdar Institute at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The event targeted professionals in the e-resources arena and those interested in remaining up-to-date with local and global practices.
The course provided the participants with new understandings, tools, and techniques that they can apply in their libraries and in their ongoing conversations with users, publishers, and other information providers. It also built in detail on the crucial understandings in the areas of pricing, usage data and their deployment for decision-making, appropriate access for library patrons, and perpetual access/preservation.
Leading industry professionals including Ann Okerson, Special Advisor on E-Resources, Center for Research Libraries in Chicago, US, and Terry Bucknell, Electronic Resources Manager at University of Liverpool, led discussions at the event. Bucknell manages an extensive collection of e-journals, databases and e-books, as well as the online services, including EBSCO Discovery Service and SFX, through which they are accessed.
Okerson, on the other hand, combines experience in academic library management, the commercial sector, as well as a senior and founding program officer for Scholarly Communications at the Association of Research Libraries in Washington, DC.
A large number of staff members from the academic libraries, information centers, public libraries, and other information centers attended the event that focused on some of the key issues in the e-resources sector. Educators, electronic information providers, legal staff, funders and government agencies also participated at the workshop.
Dr. Abdullah Al Hefeiti, Library Director, Masdar Institute, said: "The digital era marks a new beginning in accessing and acquiring intellectual capital of diverse sources. However, managing the current electronic world of educational and research information in a library requires advanced techniques and global best practices. The support of the country's leadership has enabled us to organize events that gather thought-leaders in this sector. Masdar Institute is honored to host the workshop in Abu Dhabi to highlight the new advancements in the use of e-resources and licensing for the benefit of professionals in the knowledge sector."
The event focused on 'Electronic Journals and Electronic Resources Library Management' on the first day and 'Licensing E-resources; Copyright and its Relationship to Licenses: Role and importance of consortia in the licensing environment' on the following day. The last day was taken up for discussions on 'Managing Electronic Resources'.
Other developments that were discussed in detail include e-books, future of subscriptions, patron-driven acquisitions (PDA), licensing beyond the immediate campus (all the way to global campuses and partners), new business models including significant open access experiments, contractual issues related to mobile technologies, and some new types of license language including Authors' Rights.
The Masdar Institute Library is equipped with advanced information technologies that offer excellent Internet connectivity and efficient online access to rich e-resources and digital contents. The services and collections at the library are entirely dedicated to support the Masdar Institute community of faculty, researchers, students, and administrators. The library also offers out-campus researchers and postgraduates access to its collections and facilities.
Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.
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About Masdar Institute
Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges.
An important characteristic of Masdar Institute is its focus on complex real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach for the development of solutions from an integrated technology, systems and policy perspective. This multi-interdisciplinary and integrated approach is supported by the structure of its academic programs and by the emphasis placed on engaging external partners from industry, government, and other academic institutions in collaborative activities.
Masdar Institute offers degrees in:
· MSc Engineering Systems and Management
· MSc Computing and Information Science
· MSc Materials Science and Engineering
· MSc Mechanical Engineering
· MSc Water and Environmental Engineering
· MSc Microsystems Engineering
· MSc Electrical Power Engineering
· MSc Chemical Engineering
Please visit our website http://www.masdar.ac.ae/
For more information contact:
Name: Bader Al Zarei
Communications Manager
Public Affairs Department
Email: balzarei@masdar.ac.ae
Phone: +971 02 8109372
© Press Release 2012
