Blog from March, 2017

In our annual arXiv update, we signaled that there would be some minor changes to the existing model, including an increase to annual membership fees to accommodate for increasing costs (as the rates have been flat for the last five years), adding a new top tier for institutions that are heavy users of arXiv, and using an average based on the last three-years’ usage in calculating annual tiers.  We are pleased to present to you the 2018–2022 arXiv sustainability plan, which aims to inform you of the upcoming changes and provide information about the state of arXiv: 

2018-2022 Sustainability Plan for Classic arXiv

We are grateful for the assistance of the Member Advisory Board in reviewing and approving the suggested changes. 

In addition to the new FAQ, please see arXiv Membership Program for additional background information about the arXiv Sustainability Initiative.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read the new business model.  We are grateful for support from 208 libraries worldwide that enables the sustainability of arXiv as an essential component of scholarly communication for many scientists all around the world. 

We welcome your questions and comments as we aim to improve the FAQ accordingly (support@arxiv.org ). We will be contacting member libraries and labs in a few weeks to confirm their anticipated tiers and fees for 2018.
 

Oya Y. Rieger | Associate University Librarian |arXiv Program Director | Scholarly Resources & Preservation Services | Cornell University Library |

Chloe McLaren | arXiv Membership Program Coordinator| Digital Scholarship and Preservation Services | Cornell

We're pleased to share our project charter for Phase I development of a next generation arXiv (arXiv-NG). Participants in our stakeholder interviews provided us with useful questions and insights that helped inform the development of the charter, which articulates the overall goals of the project, deliverables, important exclusions, roles and responsibilities, governance, and the relationship between arXiv-NG and the production system.

Thank you to the 616 arXiv enthusiasts who made our online giving campaign a success! Together you donated a total of $31,722 in one week, which will go towards keeping arXiv a robust and growing open access resource. We are very grateful to have such engaged supporters.

arXiv’s baseline maintenance costs are sponsored with support from 200+ member libraries & research labs, the Simons Foundation, and Cornell University Library.  Stewardship of resources such as arXiv involves not only covering the daily operational costs but also continuing to enhance their value based on the needs of the user community and the evolving patterns and modes of scholarly communication. The purpose of the online fund raising campaign was to allow arXiv to engage in new initiatives, and to robustly support arXiv’s Open Access mission.

We are grateful for your support. It is through the support from the dedicated community of arXiv that we are able to run the service. 

As of 2017, arXiv's Member Advisory Board has four new members:  

•  Anne Langley, Associate Dean for Research, Collections, and Scholarly Communications, Penn State Libraries (Representing the Big Ten Academic Alliance)
•  Maria Heijne, Library Director, University of Amsterdam
• Dr. Amberyn Thomas, Associate Director Scholarly Communication and Repository Services, University of Queensland
• Anne Bell, University Librarian, University of Sydney

Our gratitude to outgoing MAB members Eva Isaksson, Philip Kent, Zhixiong Zhang and Jim Mullins for their service and their thoughtfulness.

The Cornell University Library (CUL) seeks a Scientific Director for arXiv, a global repository of digital research papers in the sciences managed by the Library. The Scientific Director will collaborate with the arXiv Program Director in overseeing the service and work with arXiv staff and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) in providing intellectual leadership for the operation. The Director should be a faculty member at a research university in one of the areas represented by arXiv, and will assume this position as a part-time (0.3-0.5 FTE) administrative position while retaining his or her underlying faculty position.

See the arXiv organizational chart for information about this position’s role within the arXiv team, especially the division of responsibilities with the arXiv Program Director: arXiv Organizational Chart and Governance Model .  The arXiv Operating Principles , describes the prospective roles of CUL, SAB, and Member Advisory Board  and delineates the editorial, governance, and financial tenets of the operation.

The arXiv team is located at the Cornell University Library in Ithaca, NY. Although proximity to Cornell is highly desirable, a telecommuting arrangement (with occasional on-site visits) while the incumbent retains a faculty position in her/his home organization will also be considered. This will be initially a one-year appointment with the goal of renewal after assessing the position and arXiv’s leadership needs.

For additional details, please see: arXiv Scientific Director