... Universities are also taking steps to make more knowledge available online, for example, archiving of research results through “open access” initiatives. All of these activities require significant investments to maximize the reach and impact of university research both nationally and internationally. ...
Universities are important creators of collections and databases that play crucial roles as platforms for research and dissemination of knowledge of cultural and scientific value. ...
[T]he University of Calgary has a comprehensive collection of designs from 20th century Canadian architects, with 10,000 images available to the general public over the Internet. ...
The University of Prince Edward Island has built up a comprehensive collection relating to P.E.I., with a number of digitization initiatives to bring materials to the public over the Internet.
In addition, libraries and archives from universities and other organizations have been working together for the past 30 years to build a shared collection of early Canadian materials, first on microfiche and then online. With close to threemillion pages of printed materials available online through Canadiana.org, and approximately 15 million pages of printed text available on microfiche, this is the largest collection of early published Canadiana in the world. Key items in the collection include pre-1920 Canadian periodicals, as well as government publications (such as acts, bills, debates, and sessional papers) from the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection has been popular with the public, with as many as fourmillion hits in a single month. ...
Universities are also taking steps to make research results available online. A notable example is the BALSAC population register for Quebec, initiated by the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. This is a computerized database designed for automatic construction of family histories and genealogies, going back as far as 18 generations. Another example is the CFI-funded Synergies project led by the Université de Montréal, which will provide access to datasets, theses, conference proceedings and 170 journals currently assisted by SSHRC. A third example, in the natural sciences, is the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, located at the University of Guelph. The Institute ... houses the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding for identifying and discovering new species, with the data available online. ...
See also our past posts on Canadiana or the Synergies project (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
Posted by
Gavin Baker at 11/25/2008 10:36:00 PM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
