Scholarly Works, University Libraries
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Browsing Scholarly Works, University Libraries by Content Type "Report"
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- 17 Interviews with Virginia Tech CALS Faculty: State of Research and How Information Professionals Can HelpHaugen, Inga (2016-12-07)In the early months of 2016, Ithaka S+R, a not-for-profit service that helps the academic community navigate economic and technological change, asked various land grant universities to be a part of a national project examining the current state of research and how information professionals can support agricultural researchers. Eighteen institutions and the National Agriculture Library (NAL) chose to participate; Virginia Tech (VT) is one of the participating entities. There were two main aspects of participation, the interview stage and then reporting. Each of the institutions were tasked with identifying appropriate faculty to interview, and then conducting the interviews, transcribing and anonymizing the transcripts, and only then sharing information with Ithaka S+R. The national report was created by Ithaka S+R staff Danielle Cooper and Roger Schonfeld from 5 anonymized transcripts made available from the interviewing process at every participating campus, resulting in n=95 interviews for the national report . This report herein is created from only the local responses at Virginia Tech (n=17 faculty). The project we report here was designed with this combined nature, therefor some of the variables of the study design accommodate the scope of the national report better. However, analyzing the 17 results from Virginia Tech reveals a vision of what researchers at Virginia are doing as they seek information.
- Big Data Text Summarization: Using Deep Learning to Summarize Theses and DissertationsAhuja, Naman; Bansal, Ritesh; Ingram, William A.; Jude, Palakh; Kahu, Sampanna; Wang, Xinyue (Virginia Tech, 2018-12-05)Team 16 in the fall 2018 course "CS 4984/5984 Big Data Text Summarization," in partnership with the University Libraries and the Digital Library Research Laboratory, prepared a corpus of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) for students to study natural language processing with the power of state-of-the-art deep learning technology. The ETD corpus is made up of 13,071 doctoral dissertations and 17,890 master theses downloaded from the University Libraries’ VTechWorks system. This particular study is designed to explore big data summarization for ETDs, which is a relatively under-explored area. The result of the project will help to address the difficulty of information extraction from ETD documents, the potential of transfer learning on automatic summarization of ETD chapters, and the quality of state-of-the-art deep learning summarization technologies when applied to the ETD corpus. The goal of this project is to generate chapter level abstractive summaries for an ETD collection through deep learning. Major challenges of the project include accurately extracting well-formatted chapter text from PDF files, and the lack of labeled data for supervised deep learning models. For PDF processing, we compare two state of the art scholarly PDF data extraction tools, Grobid and Science-Parse, which generate structured documents from which we can further extract metadata and chapter level text. For the second challenge, we perform transfer learning by training supervised learning models on a labeled dataset of Wikipedia articles related to the ETD collection. Our experimental models include Sequence-to-Sequence and Pointer Generator summarization models. Besides supervised models, we also experiment with an unsupervised reinforcement model, Fast Abstractive Summarization-RL. The general pipeline for our experiments consists of the following steps: PDF data processing and chapter extraction, collecting a training data set of Wikipedia articles, manually creating human generated gold standard summaries for testing and validation, building deep learning models for chapter summarization, evaluating and tuning the models based on results, and then iteratively refining the whole process.
- CLIR Postdoctoral Fellowship in Community Data for the Rematriation Project: Summary ReportYunes, Erin; Long, Kara (2024-08-19)The CLIR Postdoctoral Fellowship in Community Data at the Virginia Tech University Libraries (VTUL) was a collaborative initiative designed to help bridge academic resources and community-led projects. The fellowship focused on supporting the Rematriation project through collaboration among scholars and staff from the VT University Libraries and Department of English and community members. A key directive was to work with an Inuit-led interdisciplinary team in creating a digital archive that centers Indigenous knowledges and perspectives. This report provides an overview of the fellowship's objectives, methodologies, key activities, and outcomes, emphasizing the collaborative efforts and innovative approaches that shaped this work.
- Conference Highlights: 3rd International Symposium on ETDsMcMillan, Gail (Virginia Tech, 2000-03-18)Conference highlights according to Gail McMillan
- Ensuring Scholarly Access to Government Archives and RecordsIngram, William A.; Johnson, Sylvester A. (Virginia Tech, 2022-01-31)This report summarizes the activities and outcomes of a collaborative planning project supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and organized by University Libraries at Virginia Tech, in collaboration with Virginia Tech Center for Humanities and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). A diverse group of archivists, librarians, humanists, technologists, information scientists, and computer scientists were convened for a five-part online workshop series to discuss and plan how artificial intelligence and machine learning could be used to ensure public access to the massive and ever-growing collection of government records in the NARA digital catalog. During the workshop, participants identified requirements, developed conceptual models, and discussed a work plan for a subsequent pilot project that would apply state-of-the-art tools and technologies to increase the effectiveness of archival programs and broaden public access to the important content in the NARA catalog. The workshop focused on humanistic and equitability issues of artificial intelligence and developing ethical, human-centered technology that promotes the public good. As such, the topic of intentional mitigation of AI bias was a thread that ran through the entirety of the workshop.
- Faculty Research Practices in Civil and Environmental Engineering: Insights from a Qualitative Study Designed to Inform Research Support ServicesHayes, Whitney; Pannabecker, Virginia; Shen, Yi; Smith, Erin M.; Thompson, Larry (Virginia Tech, 2018-12-14)This qualitative study analyzes and reports on in-depth interviews with eight faculty from the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech. This project is part of a larger series of studies from Ithaka S+R on the research support needs of scholars by discipline. Ithaka S+R provided guidance on research methodology and data analysis.The goal of the study was to better understand the overall and day to day research practices of civil and environmental engineering (CEE) faculty to inform priorities and needs for research support services. The interviewees represented different career levels (Assistant, Associate, and full Professor) with at least one being from each of the Virginia Tech CEE department’s five fields of focus. Findings address five thematic areas from the interview transcripts: research, collaboration, data practices, information discovery and management, and research communication and dissemination. Implications identify four major support needs and service opportunities: supporting faculty goals to share more of their work in open access venues, supporting use of Google Scholar as a major research tool, data education and services for all - from students to faculty, and the continuing importance of student training in information source evaluation and critical appraisal.
- Gail McMillan's Faculty Activity Report for FY'12McMillan, Gail (2012-06-29)
- Immersive ArchaeologyOgle, J. Todd; Skarbez, Richard (2018-05-01)We propose a system which integrates a high-fidelity immersive virtual environment based on ground-truth 3D scanning data from archaeological sites augmented with ethnohistoric data in the form of archival records, photos, models of artifacts, prior publications and reports, etc. for in virtuo analysis of corroborating evidence and the results of fieldwork. The post-excavation analysis phase is typically the most time-consuming aspect of the archaeology process. The proposed Immersive Archaeology System would primarily contribute to this post-excavation phase, connecting to and drawing together potentially relevant ethnohistoric data from archival stores that can be rapidly identified and presented to the archaeologist for analysis and interpretation of a site and its artifacts. This in turn could enable more reflexive archaeological practices wherein both field- and lab-based scientists are in close and regular collaboration via the immersive environment. Additional benefits of the adoption a system could include the development of curated virtual environments that could be employed in K-20 learning environments to engage learners in the analytical component of archaeology.
- Library Support for Text and Data Mining: A Report for the University Libraries at Virginia TechYoung, Philip; Haugen, Inga; Lener, Edward F.; Pannabecker, Virginia; Brittle, Collin (Virginia Tech, 2017-07-28)This report examines how the University Libraries at Virginia Tech have supported text and data mining in the past, and how academic libraries in general are providing support for it. The report looks at licensing content for TDM as well as legal and technical aspects. The report concludes with recommendations for the University Libraries in order to support TDM for Virginia Tech researchers. Two appendices cover TDM interview questions and links to selected academic library guides to TDM, and selected references and websites are included.
- North Carolina Geospatial Data Archiving Project Final ReportTuttle, James; Morris, Steve; Nagy, Zsolt (North Carolina State University Libraries, 2010-07-01)In October 2004 the NCSU Libraries and the NC Center for Geographic Information & Analysis entered into an agreement with the Library of Congress to pursue preservation of state and local digital geospatial data as part of the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP). The goal of the North Carolina Geospatial Data Archiving Project (NCGDAP) has been to inform development of a national digital preservation infrastructure through a “learning by doing” approach focused on identifying, acquiring, and preserving content within the context of the NC OneMap initiative and its framework of partnerships with state, local, and federal agencies. Although this three-year project was focused solely on the state of North Carolina, it is expected to serve as a demonstration project for data archiving and time series development elsewhere...
- Open Access Week Library Survey (June 24, 2013)McMillan, Gail (2013-06-11)Ten multiple-choice questions about what activities the library might sponsor during Open Access Week 2013
- Open Licensing for Library-Created Content: A Report for the University Libraries at Virginia TechWalz, Anita R.; McMillan, Gail; Speer, Ryan; Young, Philip (Virginia Tech, 2016-06-17)Library Council, the governing body of the University Libraries at Virginia Tech, commissioned creation of a task force to identify problems and propose solutions regarding the sharing and reuse of content created by the University Libraries at Virginia Tech. This report presents a discussion of the alignment of access, dissemination, discovery and efficient use of information with the mission and strategic plans of the University and University Libraries, overview of content ownership policies established by the University, open licensing policies of other University libraries, types of content created by the University Libraries, benefits and risks of openly licensing library-created resources, and recommendations. The authors are not attorneys and this report should not be construed as legal advice.
- SPEC Kit 351: Affordable Course Content and Open Educational ResourcesWalz, Anita R.; Salem, Joseph A., Jr. ; Jensen, Kristi (2016-07-05)Academic institutions are increasingly developing programmatic approaches to support the creation, adoption, and adaptation of affordable course content (ACC) and open educational resources (OER) as part of wider strategic initiatives to enhance the access to and affordability of higher education and to improve teaching and learning. In addition to teaching and learning units and faculty development centers, academic libraries often play significant or lead roles in ACC/OER programs. Library expertise in copyright and licensing, networks of faculty relationships, and emerging involvement in instructional design and digital publishing present opportunities to create open education and affordability initiatives that will bear a lasting institution-wide contribution to student academic achievement and faculty engagement. These initiatives are also a quantitative way that libraries may demonstrate their value in enhanced learning opportunities and reduced costs for students. Affordable course content may include materials that are library-licensed or available at a low additional cost to students. Open educational resources are one type of affordable content; OER refers to any type or format of content or software that is in the public domain or licensed with a Creative Commons, GNU public license, or any other intellectual property license that allows free use, modification, and redistribution. Such materials share the idea of adaptability, low or no cost to students, and more control for faculty who use them. Some initiatives are strongly committed to use only OER, while others may combine a wide variety of resources to achieve the goal of providing more affordable course content. The purpose of this survey is to determine the degree to which ARL member institutions are engaged in ACC/OER advocacy, support, and development. The survey is designed to gather information on ACC/OER initiatives at the institutional level and the role of the library in these initiatives. It examines initiatives’ origins, implementation, governance, and funding, incentives for faculty participation, and the types of affordable/open course content that have been developed. It also explores library support of ACC/OER activities with staffing and services. The results of this survey can inform senior library decision-makers who are considering new or additional initiatives to support ACC/OER and practitioners involved in implementation.
- SPEC Kit 353: Funding Article Processing ChargesMcMillan, Gail; O'Brien, Leslie; Young, Philip (Association of Research Libraries, 2016-11-01)This SPEC Kit explores the strategies that ARL member institutions are using to address article processing charges (APCs)—including how the funds are established and how they are handled (e.g., policies, applications, budgets, administration, outreach activities, etc.), sources of funding, and whether and under what circumstances libraries are partnering with other units (or other libraries) to fund this aspect of open access. This SPEC Kit includes examples of funding web pages, fund administration policies and procedures, promotional material, and job descriptions.
- The State of Open MonographsGrimme, Sara; Holland, Cathy; Potter, Peter J.; Taylor, Mike; Watkinson, Charles (Digital Science, 2019-06-10)This report addresses the question of how we integrate and value monographs in the increasingly open digital scholarly network. Analysis from industry experts looks at the open monograph landscape in 2019, the impact and role of monographs in the scholarly record, the move towards open access and the nuances in funding. The set of contributions, which includes a foreword from Michael Elliott, Dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, carefully outline the critical challenges that must be met if the open monograph is going to thrive and expand in the scholarly landscape.
- Statement of AchievementsWalters, Tyler (Virginia Tech, 2017-03)Introduction: The following is a summary of my leadership and achievements as the Dean of University Libraries during the review period, March 2011 to February 2017. The Libraries have undergone tremendous change, perhaps as significant and as rapid a change as any university research library in the country. Through my leadership, we have built a nimble and flexible library system; one that anticipates the needs of the university community, shows it what is possible, and introduces new approaches regarding information, data, and knowledge-building. While these activities reflect my own commitment and dedication, I recognize that my achievements are organizational successes made possible by the Libraries’ faculty and staff and the internal and external partners with whom we work. Without their adoption and sharing in our contemporary vision and strategies, and engaging in the enormous transitions undertaken, I would have very few achievements to report. For their interest, energy, and commitment to growing a dynamic and vibrant library, I am very grateful.
- Subjective Differences in Preparation Between TEEM and MDiv Pastors in the ELCAPorter, Nathaniel D. (2016-01-14)This report summarizes findings from a 2005 survey of 52 graduates of the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America regarding their ministry preparation and call experiences. It is part of a larger study of non-residential seminary outcomes including the published articles "Preparation in Context" (Porter 2016, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13644-016-0246-5).
- Supporting the Changing Research Practices of Civil and Environmental Engineering ScholarsCooper, Danielle; Springer, Rebecca; Benner, Jessica G.; Bloom, David; Carrillo, Erin; Carroll, Alexander; Chang, Bertha; Chen, Xiaoju; Daix, Daix; Dommermuth, Emily; Figueiredo, Rachel; Haas, Jennifer; Hafner, Carly A.; Hayes, Whitney; Henshilwood, Angela; Krogman, Alexandra Lyn Craig |Kuglitsch, Rebecca Zuege; Lanteri, Sabine; Lewis, Abbey; Li, Lisha; Marsteller, Matthew R.; Melvin, Tom; Michelson-Ambelang, Todd; Mischo, William H.; Nickles, Colin; Pannabecker, Virginia; Rascoe, Fred; Schlembach, Mary C.; Shen, Yi; Smith, Erin M.; Spence, Michelle; Stacy-Bates, Kris; Thomas, Erin; Thompson, Larry; Thuna, Mindy; Wiley, Christie A.; Young, Sarah; Yu, Siu Hong (Ithaka S+R, 2019-01-16)Ithaka S+R’s Research Support Services Program investigates how the research support needs of scholars vary by discipline. In 2017 and 2018 Ithaka S+R examined the changing research methods and practices of civil and environmental engineering scholars in the United States with the goal of identifying services to better support them. The goal of this report is to provide actionable findings for the organizations, institutions, and professionals who support the research processes of civil and environmental engineering scholars. The project was undertaken collaboratively with research teams at 11 academic libraries in the United States and Canada.[1] We are delighted to have the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as project partner and sponsor. Angela Cochran, Associate Publisher at ASCE, served as a project advisor. The project also relied on scholars who are leaders in the field to engage in an advisory capacity. We thank Franz-Joseph Ulm (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Antonio Nanni (University of Miami), Anand Puppala (University of Texas at Arlington), and Roger Ghanem (University of Southern California) for their thoughtful contributions. Many of the challenges civil and environmental engineering researchers face are shared with other STEM disciplines – a competitive funding landscape, a fraught peer review system, complex data management requirements. Yet this applied field presents unique opportunities for academic support service providers. Fundamentally focused on finding practicable solutions to real-world problems, civil and environmental engineering is highly collaborative, interdisciplinary, and close to relevant industries. Yet these synergies are largely built on old-fashioned research infrastructures. Inefficient systems for sharing data impede innovation, tools for discovering data and gray literature are inadequate, and career incentives discourage investment in the industry partnerships that shape the field’s future directions. Successful interventions will need to recognize and leverage the field’s strength in building personal, targeted, collaborative relationships, both within academia and between academia and industry. This report describes the distinctive ways in which civil and environmental engineering scholars conduct their research and draws out broad implications for academic libraries, universities, publishers, research technology developers, and others.
- Teaching with Data in the Social Sciences at Virginia Tech: An Ithaka S+R Local ReportBaum, Liesl M.; Feerrar, Julia; McNabb, Kayla B.; Porter, Nathaniel D. (2021-09-30)This report recounts an exploratory investigation of the needs and experiences of instructors who teach with data in the social sciences at Virginia Tech, as part of an ITHAKA S+R project. The landscape of teaching with data in the social sciences at Virginia Tech is complex, involving instructors with a variety of interests and expertise, courses across the undergraduate curriculum, and students with a range of prior knowledge and personal goals related to their own learning. Participants discussed a variety of needs related to student competency, access and technology, program structures, and pedagogy. Multifaceted approaches from multiple university collaborators will be key to addressing these needs. By building on existing digital literacies programming, expanding shared resources like online modules, and exploring opportunities for peer education and further professional development, we can better prepare Virginia Tech students to learn, create, and take action with data throughout their lives.
- Virginia Tech Data Landscape and Environmental Assessment: Technical Briefing on Data CurationShen, Yi (2015)A Virginia Tech Research Data Assessment and Landscape Study was conducted in 2015 to take stock of the data assets being created and held within the institution and to examine data sharing practices and expectations of VT faculty researchers. Targeted at a multifaceted and multilevel assessment, this research assesses current repository strategies and user needs, and identifies changing modes of scholarly communication.