Engineering Library Blog

“EPSRC launches Digital Repositories e-Science Network - 17 Jun 2008

The UK’s Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has launched the Digital Repositories e-Science Network (DReSNet). The network is expected to leverage the synergy between two fields of technology and technique, e-science and digital repositories.

The digital material generated from and used by academic and other research is to an increasing extent being held in formally managed digital repositories. In many cases, these systems are used currently to hold relatively simple objects like an institution’s pre-prints and publications, or e-theses. However, some institutions are beginning to use them to manage research data.

A major motivation in setting up and populating digital repositories has been to make the results of research available to a wider audience. The latest systems allow users to move away from the model of a standalone repository, where objects are simply deposited for subsequent access and download. Instead, researchers are developing more sophisticated models in which a repository is an integrated component of a larger research infrastructure, incorporating advanced tools and workflows. These are being used to model complex webs of information and capture scholarly or scientific processes in their entirety, from raw data through to final publications. Repositories thus add value to the data-driven research lifecycle.

A particular feature of the new network is that it will operate across disciplines, including the arts, humanities and social sciences as well as the sciences in the narrower sense, as the technologies addressed are trans-disciplinary. Given the range of potential applications of the technologies, interest in DReSNet is not restricted to the academic world, but also includes non-academic institutions. Consequently, industrial participants, including commercial companies, cultural heritage organisations (e.g. museums, art galleries and historic libraries), the media, and public/government bodies will be encouraged to participate.”

Source: Knowledgespeak Newsletter, June 17, 2008

“US DoE expands global science gateway - 18 Jun 2008

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Scientific and Technical Information has announced that international science portal WorldWideScience.org has expanded its scope to include connections to databases and scientific web sites from over 44 nations.

WorldWideScience.org allows users to question over 200 million science and technology documents not indexed by popular search engines. The portal linked to 12 databases from 10 countries when it debuted in June 2007. The lately expanded service includes 32 national scientific databases and links to portals from 44 countries.

DOE and the British Library along with eight other participating countries first struck an agreement to establish the portal in January 2007. WorldWideScience.org gives science information consumers a single entry point for searching far-reaching science portals in parallel, with only one query, saving time and effort.”

Source: Knowledgespeak Newsletter