Report from the Usage Dimensions of Open Workgroup

Authors

  • Eric Archambault President and CEO, Science-Metrix & 1science
  • Lorcan Dempsey VP, Research, The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC)
  • Christopher Erdmann Head Librarian, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, John G. Wolbach Library
  • Stephanie Fulton Executive Director, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • Dee Magnoni Research Library Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • Emily McElroy Director, McGoogan Library of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • Amy Nurnberger Research Data Manager, Columbia University
  • Ginger Strader Director, Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press
  • Michael Van Woert Executive Officer and Director, National Science Board Office, National Science Foundation (NSF)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13021/G8FK5D

Abstract

The Usage Dimensions of Open workgroup came together and considered definitions and priorities around its topic. From priorities, themes were identified. One theme included the character of research outputs and the actual research workflow process. The second theme represented economic considerations. Stakeholders were identified, and solutions considíered. Solutions included both short- and long-term actions.

OSI2016 Workgroup Question

What are the usage-related challenges currently faced by open efforts? For instance, open data is intriguing in principle, but in reality, making underlying data open can be problematic, coníflicting with the need for research secrecy (whether driven by the desire to be first to publish, or the desire of funders to hold onto data to protect future discovery potential), the potential for misinterpretation by other researchers, and so on. Publishing clinical trial data in open formats is also intriguing but would run afoul of many current consent agreements, particularly older consents. Open access is similarly challenged in some instances by a coníflict between which versions of papers is allowed to appear in open repositories. What is the value of archiving non-final versions? What is the range of issues here, what are the perspecítives, and what might be some possible solutions?

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Published

2016-04-19

Issue

2016

Section

Reports