The Humanities and Social Sciences Fall Newsletter is now published.

PLoS: Influenza is a new and experimental web site devoted to rapid sharing of current research in influenza. From its home page: “The current epidemic of swine-origin H1N1 influenza A virus highlights the need for the rapid exchange of scientific results and ideas. PLoS Currents: Influenza aims to enable this exchange by providing an open-access online resource for immediate, open communication and discussion of new scientific data, analyses, and ideas in the field of influenza. All content is moderated by an expert group of influenza researchers.” For background on the site, see For info http://www.plos.org/cms/node/480.

October 19-23, 2009, Queen’s University will be participating in International Open Access Week. The aim of this event is to engage the research community in discussion about the issues and trends related to open access and promote awareness and understanding of open access. Open Access Week @Queen’s will include a series of events on campus with a keynote address by Professor John Willinsky (Stanford University), founder of the Public Knowledge Project and a leader in the development of open access.

The Open Access Week @Queen’s Organizing Committee invites scholars and research staff at Queen’s to submit presentation/panel discussion proposals by email to Sam Kalb, Queen’s Library’s Assessment and Scholarly Communication Services Coordinator, at: kalbs@queensu.ca.

Presentation Theme/Panel Themes: any issue related to open access, digital publishing and the future of scholarly publishing, authors’ rights and intellectual property, research in an electronic environment, etc. Presentations will be 45 or 90 minutes.

Possible topics include:

• Author’s rights and author addenda
• Intellectual property and Retaining Copyright in Journal Articles
• Authors’ Rights and Copyright
• Institutional advantages from Open Access
• Future of academic publishing
• Social networking and academe
• Open access in the humanities
• Subject repositories and the preprint culture
• Open access journals: expanding or diluting academic research
• Open access publishing and sustainability
• Journal impact factors in the digital environment

Deadline for Submissions: September 25

Presentation Locations: to be determined

Audience: Open to any and all members of the Queen’s community including faculty, students and staff

The most recent issue of BrackenNEWS features Dr. J. Peter O’Neill’s “How I keep up and how I find out.”

Queen’s Library has recently purchased public performance rights for educational use to the National Film Board’s online Screening Room, which provides access to over 1100 streamed productions, films, trailers and clips.

“From historical films dating back to 1928 to current contemporary releases, including award-winning documentaries, animation and fiction, this initiative invites Canadians from all regions, to browse, discover and be entertained by the stories that bind us together.” – http://www.nfb.ca

The Library’s laptop lending program has been discontinued.

This change is one element of the Library’s evolving strategy for meeting the University’s budget reduction targets. In the area of computer infrastructure, the Library’s priorities continue to be the delivery of online information resources and services, provision of onsite public access computers (currently over 300 in total), and improvement of wireless coverage to support the widespread use of personal laptops and other mobile devices.

Additional aspects of the Library’s budget reduction strategy are under development and subject to stakeholder consultation where feasible, and will be communicated as they are confirmed.

For those needing use of a laptop for an extended period, ITServices offers laptop rentals on a weekly basis (see http://www.queensu.ca/its/ccss/store/rentals.html).

The Center for Research Libraries latest issue of Focus on Global Resources highlights resources related to Modern China, http://www.crl.edu/focus/TOC.asp?id=49. Some of the materials may be available electronically. Queen’s University Library is a member of CRL, which allows for long term interlibrary loan of their materials.

In This Issue
An introduction to the Summer 2009 issue.

Researching Treaty-Port Shanghai (1843-1943)
How a University of Oregon historian uses CRL resources to enhance a seminar.

Shared Purchase Supports Faculty Grant Project
How several CRL libraries worked to provide access to vital source materials for a University of Colorado economist’s grant projects.

CRL Resources on China
A diverse sampling of CRL resources on modern China.

Digitized Newspapers Related to China
Listing of digitized Chinese newspapers available via open access and commercial vendors.

Are you interested in working in one of the Queen’s Libraries during the 2009/10 academic year? We have a variety of positions available for students who qualify for the Queen’s Work Study Program.

For more information:

Visit our Student Employment Opportunities website and contact us soon! In most cases, Library staff will begin reviewing applications in mid-August, with interviews starting shortly thereafter.