A brief note about my work in "Library as Publisher"
I'm not sure why I wrote this blurb, but I recently stumbled across it, and it seemed like an interesitng thing to share :)
My first foray into library publishing was as the librarian in sole charge of Canada’s national electronic thesis and dissertation program, Theses Canada/Thèses Canada. There I learned a ton about publishing with institutional repositories (IR), Canadian copyright, the benefits of open access, and reasons why student authors benefit from sharing their research; from the ability to market heir skills for jobs, in a ”see what I did” way, getting post publication feedback from readers and peers , much like a preprint, and establishing a publication record that potential doctoral and post-doctoral program jurors can easily read.
My mentor in this was the exceptionally kind and supportive Sharon Reeves. She was an amazing advocate for Electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) and taught me so much. I believe that it was the combination my work as a metadata librarian cataloguing music scores and sound recordings, my curiosity and enthusiasm for learning new things, and my adaptability, that brought me to Sharon’s attention as someone who would be a good candidate for ETD support.
In 2012 I came to work at UWO as a metadata librarian, and soon found myself back in the realm of the repository, using the Digital Commons bepress platform. In addition to cataloguing and metadata duties, I supported ETDs, green OA and some journal hosting and publishing.
Since that time there have been immense changes at out library, including a many organtional overhaul in which we switched from a liaison model to a functional model, with teams supporting various library work, including publishing. I am no longer the IR administrator, a colleague has taken that role, but now more of us have the skills to support the IR, Scholarship@Western. At the end of 2012 there were 1263 itmes in the IR, today there are 43,229.
S@W will be moved to a new platform this summer 2025, and will have a new look and new name. Stay Tuned!
Right now, some of my work is advocating for Open Access, and showing researcher/authors how it will benefit them. For some folks the appeal is equity and that it is a public good. There is an old saying in foundering that applies here I think, “When the tide comes in all the boats rise” that is Openly available exchange of knowledge benefits everyone. For others, it is the added impact and boosting of citation counts that appeals. Either way I show them ways can publish and not pay, by selecting a DOAJ journal, by sharing the author accepted manuscript in the IR and by taking advantage of the many transformative agreements the library currently supports.
When I am not banging on about Open Access publishing, I have rediscovered my love of trumpet playing and jazz, definitely as an amateur. After University, focussing on career, work and home life, I fell away from playing my trumpet. Now almost 30 years later, I am back performing with a number of groups, including the Barclay Road Brassworks NHB band Sounds of Swing and the all-women big band, The Jazzabelles
