Combining the expertise and technologies of the Penn State University Libraries and the Penn State Press, the Office of Digital Scholarly Publishing (ODSP) is poised to offer a new formula for scholarly communication at Penn State and beyond.
The launch of ODSP comes after years of trial and planning. Through a variety of cooperative activities the Press and Libraries have built a solid basis for an ongoing partnership. While similiar initiatives are under way at other universities, few involve such extensive library/press collaboration.
The principal mission of the Office of Digital Scholarly Publishing is no less ambitious than the energetic staff that is making it all happen. Utilizing new media technologies to advance scholarly communication sounds simple enough, that what it really means is using any and all tools to provide anytime/anywhere access to valuable scholarly materials all with the simple use of a computer.
A library is more than a collection of books. In fact, the library of tomorrow has to be much more. The library has always been the cornerstone of a college education, but today it is no longer entirely about books and journals- it is also about electronic data and the equipment and resources to manage it.
Publishing has always been an integral part of a vibrant university community, giving voice to diverse perspectives and knowledge that might not be otherwise be heard. In the digital age, the opportunities for university presses and libraries to collaborate and extend the reach and influence of scholarships are too great to ignore. The ODSP is committed to embracing the best that technology has to offer in a spirit of scholarly collaboration and innovation.
View a Penn State University Libraries presentation on the NIH Public Access Policy implematation.
