UAL Project Recipient of Innovative Technology Award

The Canadian Government Information Digital Preservation Network [CGI DPN] has been named 2015 recipient of the CLA/OCLC Award for Innovative Technology.

The Canadian Government Information Digital Preservation Network is a project initiated in October 2012 by library staff at eleven member institutions: University of Alberta, Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, University of Saskatchewan, University of Victoria, McGill University, Dalhousie University, Scholars Portal, University of Toronto, and Stanford University.

Amanda Wakaruk, Government Information Librarian at University of Alberta Libraries, was the Chair of the CGI DPN Steering Committee from its inception to April 2015, and has been a champion of both democratic access to government information and this national initiative.  

The mission of the CGI DPN is to preserve digital collections of government information, ensuring the long-term viability of digital materials through geographically dispersed servers, protective measures against data loss, and forward format migration.

Through the innovative application of LOCKSS and Archive-it technology, the Network has established a geographically distributed infrastructure to preserve government information in a secure environment, helping to ensure access to critical digital content in the future. The CGI DPN’s collaborative approach to acquiring and preserving digital content is both cost effective and efficient. The Network is an important example of librarians as proactive stewards in the realm of digital content.

• Search the Canadian Government Information Private LOCKSS Network [PLN] Web Archive
• Browse the University of Alberta Libraries Government Information Subject Guide
• Learn more about the governance and collection policy of the Canadian Government Information [CGI] LOCKSS Network

Invitation to Participate in Research Data Management Week

Researchers at the University of Alberta are invited to participate in the 2nd annual Research Data Management Week from May 4 to May 8, 2015. 

New norms and practices are developing around the management of research data. Canada's research councils are discussing the introduction of data management plans within their application processes. The University of Alberta's Research Policy now addresses the stewardship of research records, with an emphasis on the long-term preservation of data. An increasing number of scholarly journals are requiring authors to provide access to the data behind their submissions for publication. Data repositories are being established in domains and institutions to support the sharing and preservation of data. Over 30 talks and workshops have been organized to help you better prepare for this emerging global research data ecosystem. 

Keynote speakers will include Ted Hewitt, President of SSHRC, on May 4th at 10:00am and Paul Lu on May 6th at 10:00. Workshops will include offerings on: data storage options available to researchers, research clouds, sharing data through Dataverse, and preparing data management plans. Several of these sessions will be taught by Compute Canada, Cybera, and Library staff.  

View the Libraries Research Management Week web site to view the full schedule and register for sessions.

We’ve Gone to the Dogs!: Pet Therapy in the Library

Back by popular demand, the University of Alberta Libraries is happy to be hosting several pet therapy sessions this exam season. If you are in need of a study break, come enjoy some unconditional love and stress relief. No matter what your worries or pressures, these four-legged friends are sure to lighten your heart and make you smile. Sessions will run as follows:

• April 7th: 5:00-7:00pm, J.W. Scott Health Sciences Library,
• April 14th: 6:30-8:30pm, Cameron Library
• April 15th: 11:30-1:00pm, H.T.Coutts Education & Physical Education Library
• April 16th: 4:00-6:00pm, Rutherford Library

The Libraries are committed to supporting student success and appreciate this can be a stressful time of year. Feel free to take advantage of our quiet study areas found in all of our campus libraries. Both Cameron and Rutherford libraries are running extended study hall hours from April 7th-23th. Detailed library hours can be found on the hours page on our website.

Wishing you the best of luck on your exams and final papers!