DuraSpace, a US-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preserving the world’s scholarly, scientific and cultural records, has announced the 2012 Association of Research Libraries/Digital Library Federation (ARL/DLF)/DuraSpace E-Science Institute (ESI) scheduled for the 2012–2013 academic year. This institute will be offered to academic and research library audiences seeking opportunities to boost institutional support of e-research and the management and preservation of scientific and scholarly record.
The new institute will include ongoing communication with the ARL/CLIR Connect E-Science/E-Research Community - an interactive website for ESI participants to maintain contact with one another, the ESI faculty, and experts and professionals in the fields of information and library science to build a community of emerging practice. DuraSpace reportedly has an excellent track record of offering online professional webinars, and DLF provides both professional expertise and numerous ways for the community to connect and continue the conversation.
The 2012 ESI will build on the strengths of the inaugural 2011 ESI developed by MacKenzie Smith, DeEtta Jones and a group of expert faculty in collaboration with ARL and DLF.
The ESI was designed in 2011 to help research libraries develop a strategic agenda for e-research support, with a particular focus on the sciences. It consists of a series of interactive modules that take small teams of individuals through a dynamic learning process to strengthen and advance their strategy for supporting computational scientific research. The institute begins with a series of modules for teams to complete at their institutions, and culminates with an in-person workshop. Local institution assignments help staff establish a high level understanding of research support background needs and issues.
Development of course materials for the 2011 Institute was funded by the sponsors and supporting institutions of ARL and CLIR/DLF and was only available to their members. Going forward, the ESI will be managed by the DuraSpace organisation and will be open to all institutions.
