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Re: ICSTI 2009 conference

On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 05:17:59PM +0200, Howard Flack wrote:
>> Liz Lyon of UKOLN (Libraries and "Team Science") 
> 
> How is it that she decided to concentrate on crystallography in her 
> project?

As a result of the connection with Mike Hursthouse and Simon Coles
at Southampton, which now goes back a number of years. The interest
originally was in using "institutional repository" software as a
platform for disseminating scientific data. JISC is very keen to
encourage institutional repositories; the Southampton e-Prints
software is liked in part because it is "home-grown"; the National
Crystallography Service server uses e-Prints; UKOLN has often been
charged by JISC with comparative evaluations and surveys. It's also
involved with Research Information Network, Digital Curation Centre
and other central agencies in a series of initiatives to map out and
direct digital publishing policy in UK academia.

The IUCr collaborated actively in the design of metadata standards
for "repository" crystallography servers, and we've also been
involved in advisory or consultative roles with a number of
subsequent projects.  The work is valuable in increasing the
awareness of central policy makers within these areas; its
usefulness in furthering crystallographic practice is less clear,
but you should perhaps follow that up with Simon Coles.


>> It is noteworthy that this was a conference sponsored by ICSTI,
>> since the content would have seemed entirely natural in a
>> CODATA meeting. It is clear that the traditional data/publication
>> dichotomy is no longer appropriate to the processes of
>> dissemination of scientific and technical information, and we
>> may look forward to many future synergies between these two aspects.
> 
> You mean that they are talking again about amalgamating CODATA and ICSTI?

No (but the IUCr representative to ICSTI has raised the possibility
in local discussions within the IUCr). Amalgamation would be
difficult, given the very different institutional arrangements of
the two bodies; and in principle they are addressing different
areas, although the amount of overlap is increasing. At the moment
ICSU sees them both as components of its strategic development, but it
does want to see them working together more closely on matters of
common relevance.

ICSTI currently suffers from too little involvement of scientific
publishers. I shall be leading a one-day workshop in Paris next
February (which Yves has most kindly agreed to accommodate) that
is intended to attract publishers; it will be interesting to see
what success we have.

I'll post more details of that workshop in the near future.

Brian
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